THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 18, 1996 TAG: 9608180186
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEITH CANNON SPECIAL, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FORT MILL, S.C. LENGTH: 54 lines
It's only a two-game winning streak. But Norfolk manager Bobby Valentine says his Tides' success so far this weekend against the Charlotte Knights is encouraging.
``We're just trying to get our game together,'' Valentine said after his team defeated the Knights 7-1 Saturday night, moving one game closer to clinching a playoff spot.
``It's been a real long stretch for us, and we're tired. But we think we have a pretty good team.''
Starting pitcher Mark Fyhrie (13-6) made them look that way with a five-hit performance over seven innings. And the Tides (71-55) backed him with 14 hits, including a 4-for-4 game - and stolen base No. 300 as a minor leaguer - by leadoff batter Gary Thurman.
The Tides built a 4-0 lead before the Knights scored halfway through the game.
Back-to-back doubles by Thurman and Shawn Gilbert to start the game sparked a two-run first inning by Norfolk.
Gilbert drove in Thurman with a shot off the rightfield wall, and he came around to score after consecutive groundouts by Matt Franco and Benny Agbayani.
``That's more our game,'' said Valentine, whose team had won Friday's game 8-4 with three home runs. ``Clutch hitting, stolen bases . . . Thurman was on base every time and creating havoc.''
Norfolk picked up another run in the fourth. Jason Hardtke, who was 3 for 4 with two RBIs in the game, led off with a double to right-centerfield. He advanced to third on a single by Kevin Roberson night. Hardtke scored when Luis Rivera bounced into a double play.
The Knights advanced only one runner past second base after that.
``(Fyhrie) was just outstanding,'' Valentine said. ``He's been that way all year. He threw strikes, changed it up and worked both sides of the plate.''
Benny Agbayani's one-out, bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth inning scored Thurman for a 4-0 Tides lead.
The Knights scored their only run in the fifth inning. Marquis Riley led off with a single and advanced to second on pinch-hitter Erik Johnson's infield out. Quilvio Veras and Chris Clapinski singled back-to-back to bring Riley in.
Bryan Rogers and Pedro Martinez each pitched one hitless inning in relief of Fyhrie.
The Knights tried a change in their usual bullpen pattern to keep the game close, but it didn't work as well.
Knights manager Sal Rende moved Knights reliever Vic Darensbourg, normally one of the team's closers, to a setup role. Darensbourg replaced starter Mickey Weston (5-9) in the sixth inning and pitched two shutout innings.
``We put Darensbourg in the middle to try to keep it at four, but Fyhrie didn't give us much of an opening,'' Rende said. ``The strength of our club is its offense and we didn't have much of it tonight.'' by CNB