Bums win back-and-forth battle with Bjork July 11, 1998
Vero Beach, FL (AP) - The Vero Beach Bums increased their division lead
over the Duluth Bjork to 19 1/2 games by defeating them 7-5 yesterday in
Vero Beach.
Esteban Loaiza hurled the complete game loss for the Bjork, giving up 12
hits and 5 earned runs in 8 innings. For the Bums, Angel Miranda notched
his eighth win of the season in long relief of Ismael Valdes. Valdes was
roughed up for 4 runs and 6 hits in 3 2/3 innings. "It was a tough game,"
said Valdes. "I'm not making any excuses, but I haven't faced hitting like
Duluth's in a while." Miranda stopped the bleeding by pitching five
innings of one-run baseball. "Pardon the pun, but Angel is a real
godsend," said Bums manager Phil Garner. Mike Metcalfe's homer in the
seventh inning was the only run given up by Miranda, who scattered 3 hits
and struck out 4. Trevor Hoffman got an easy two-pitch save, recording the
final out of the ninth inning.
The clutch work by the Bums bullpen allowed the offense to get a chance to
win the game. Throughout the game, the teams traded runs. Valdes gave up
2 runs in the first inning, but the Bums got 2 back in the bottom of the
first on Omar Vizquel's two-run shot. Duluth answered with 2 runs in the
third on a towering Frank Thomas homer, but the Bums added a run in the
bottom of the third to make it 4-3. The Bums tied the game again in the
fourth on a Chuck Carr RBI single. Duluth took its final lead of the game
in the seventh on Jeff Kent's solo home run. With the score 5-4 entering
the bottom of the eighth, the Bums staged a rally. Brian Jordan reached
base on a single and Dave Hollins walked. Catcher Tom Pagnozzi then hit a
3-run home run to win the game for the Bums. "It's nice to know I still
have a few of those in me," said Pagnozzi.
News and Notes
The Bums continue to dominate the Defiant League, but sank below .750 in
losing 3 games in a 4-game stretch to the Sacramento Knights and Binghamton
Mets.
Owner J. Lee Gohlke had this to say about the all-star game manager
controversy: "Look, Phil Garner got us to the World Series last year. He
deserves the privilege of managing the all-star game. I would like to hear
another announcement from the commissioner as to who is going to manage the
All-Star Game, because I don't feel the issue has been properly addressed
yet. It's clear that the right thing to do, now and in future years, is to
let the league champions manage the all-star game. Garner is truly an
All-Star manager." Garner simply stated, "Whatever the commissioner
decides goes. I'm not going to get all worked up about it."
After giving up at least temporarily on Mark Guthrie, the Bums brought up
lefty Art Huenke to try out the setup role. He failed miserably, compiling
a 13.50 ERA in 4 appearances and giving up 5 hits in 2 2/3 innings. "Sure
I think we've given him a chance," said manager Phil Garner. "Setup is a
high-pressure job, and you have to be able to perform on the spot." Team
sources indicate that John Cummings, who is starting in place of the
injured Kurt Hardie, might be slotted for the left-handed setup role. For
now, lefty Chris Hammond gets another shot at pitching for the Bums in the
setup role, in his first PVBL action this year. "I'm excited to be back,"
said Hammond.
The Bums shook up their minors a bit this week, releasing 4 players,
including catcher Eddie Perez and right fielder Derrel Butka. Butka
performed well as a backup to Brian Jordan last year, but with the
emergence of Chuck Carr and Dan Jourdan, Butka was expendable. "I'm
disappointed," said Butka. "I really felt like a Bum and can hardly
believe they released me."
Perez never lived up to expectations in Vero Beach, and with the younger
Larry Gulden and Jim Collins ahead of him, demanded to be traded or
released. The Bums were happy to oblige.
The Bums also released two first basemen that never wore a Bums uniform,
41-year-old Gary Redus and prospect Lore Madison. "We had plenty of first
basemen down in Milwaukee," said manager Phil Garner. With Al Pechous
starting in AAA and Harry Hoch having just been drafted at 1B, Madison and
Redus were cut loose.
The Bums claimed 4 free agents to replace the released players. At
catcher, they claimed Amos Bates, who was recently released by ???. "Amos
is very comparable to Eddie, actually," said Garner. "He's got similar
defensive skills, about the same arm strength but actually a better
backstop. Offensively, he doesn't have quite as much punch but is
appreciably faster. The kicker, though, was that Amos can play first base
as well, which gives us a bit more flexibility. Just like Eddie was, he's
primarily here for defensive purposes."
The Bums also claimed two third basemen from the waiver wire, former Bum
John Wehner and 19-year-old rookie Ewell Sheaffer. "We had very little
depth at 3rd base," said Gohlke. "With only Joe Fitzke behind Dave Hollins
and no prospects for the future, it was good to get Wehner back as another
backup and Sheaffer as a long-term prospect."
Finally, the Bums picked up RF Sal Christopher, a 22-year-old rookie. "Sal
is a bit of a long shot," said Gohlke, "but with the free-agent system we
have in place in the PVBL, it's almost impossible to win and to get quality
free agents at the same time. With a first-come, first-serve system, I
think we'd get a better idea of the talent of the managers and GMs in this
league." Manager Garner stated, "I'm amazed Jason can get players that I
can put on the field off of waivers. He has a good eye for players that
get overlooked by everyone else, like Miranda and Guthrie."
