Whalers Split 4-game Series With Oil Kings April 16, 1999
Hartford, CT (AP)- The Hartford Whalers rebounded from two more horrible
performances by Ken Hill and Ramon Martinez today to take a split of the
four-game home series with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
In Game 1, the story was rookie Hideki Irabu. Irabu out-gunned Jason Dickson
for his second career win. Irabu pitched 8 strong shutout innings. The rookie
has yet to lose or even allow a single run, sporting a 0.00 ERA. Dickson (0-1)
allowed only one earned run in 8 innings of work, taking the tough loss.
Hartford got all of the offense it needed from 3B Matt Williams. Williams
knocked in Socks Byrne who had singled and stolen second. The single run would
prove to be all that the Whalers needed as Irabu continued to confuse his
opponents. Newcomer Troy Percival came on to close things out in the 9th for
his 2nd save on the season. Percival also has yet to allow a run in 3.1 total
innings of work and 3 saves in 3 opportunities.
Game 2 was more of the same. Tom Gordon tossed a superb game as the Whalers
won, 3-2. Flash went 8 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits while
striking out 3. Percival came on once again in the 9th to record his 3rd save
in as many attempts. Hartford got all of the offense it needed in the bottom
of the 1st inning when Jay Buhner crushed a 3-run homer, his first of the year.
Buhner was 2-3 with a run scored, a homer, a double and ALL 3 RBI. Socks Byrne
increased his runs and OBP, going 2-5 on the day with 2 runs scored, 3 walks
and 2 SB's. Flash Gordon moved to 2-0 alongside Irabu, with a 1.20 ERA through
15 innings of work.
While Hartford's top 2 starters Ken Hill and Ramon Martinez have struggled,
both with ERA's over 10 through 2 starts, Irabu and Gordon have been
surprisingly magnificent. Here's the line:
*Hideki Irabu 2-0 15.2 IP 0.00 ERA Ovg .196
Tom Gordon 2-0 15.0 IP 1.20 ERA Ovg .176
Troy Percival 3 Sv 3.1 IP 0.00 ERA Ovg .182
"Now," said Manager Kevin Kennedy, "if we could only get Kenny (Hill) and Ramon
(Martinez) going right we'd be unstoppable." Sure enough. Hartford better
hope so because it is unlikely these three will sustain this kind of run and
the Whalers' offense hasn't been spectacular yet either.
