Four-run 10th inning ends classic

By MIKE STREET
Press Staff Writer

A little help from the less-thanall-star caliber fielding of the California League didn't hurt either.

One of the Cal League's three fielding errors came in the 10th inning as the Carolina All-Stars rallied for four runs in the extra frame to win its first California/Carolina League All-Star Game in three tries, 10-6, Tuesday night in front of 6,518 fans at The Diamond.

The attendance fell short of the record of 6,671 fans, which was set in the first meting between the two teams - a 2-2 tie - at Rancho Cucamonga in 1996.

In '97, the Cal League prevailed 6-5 in Durham, N.C. Due to scheduling conflicts, the teams didn't play last season.

The only thing conflicting Tuesday night, however, was the handto-eye coordination of both defensive units.

With Carolina leading 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, a single, a groundout, a passed ball and a wild pitch allowed Bakersfield's Darren Blakey to score the tying run.

"Anytime you're on third, and you see the guy throwing in the dirt, you need to anticipate a wild pitch or a passed ball," Blakely said. "That's just good baseball. . . I was looking to run in that situation."

Following an out, Potomac pitcher Jason Marr intentionally walked two consecutive batters to load the bases with two outs in the ninth. The strategy worked as Marr got Modesto's Jacques Landry to fly out to right to end the inning.

The California All-Stars quickly returned the favor in the top of the 10th.

With one out, Myrtle Beach's Jose Cepeda hit a grounder off Modesto pitcher Jim Brink. The ball caromed to Modesto second baseman Oscar Salazar, who mishandled the grounder.

Following a single by Lynchburg's Yamil Haad, Carolina League MVP Vic Radcliff (2-for-2, run scored) drilled a go-ahead double down the left-field line which scored Cepeda.

Wilmington's Steve Medrano capped the scoring with a threerun homer to right-center. Haad and Radcliff scored on the hit.

The four-run inning made a winner out of Marr, while Brink suffered the loss. Salem's John Kalinowski worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th to pick up the save.

"I'm not happy with my performance, but I gave 100 percent," Brink said. "This game was for fun, so I'm not going to dwell on it, but I would've liked to have done better."

Bakersfield's Doug Clark took the MVP honors for the Cal League, going 2-for-2 with a homer and two runs scored.

Funny how things worked out Tuesday night for San Bernardino pitcher Marcos Castillo. The righthander tossed a perfect game last Monday at The Diamond against Lake Elsinore.

But against the Carolina AllStars, the native of Edo Bolivar, Venezuela, was far from perfection.

In fact, it wasn't just Castillo who was imperfect in the top of the second inning. The right-hander surrendered the first run of the game when Salem's Jody Gerut hit into a fielder's choice to Landry.

But it was Landry's error on the next play with two out - a grounder by Frederick's Eddy Martinez - that helped give the Carolina all-stars a 3-0 edge.

Seemingly and easy grounder, Landry elected to go the short way to second, trying to force Gerut. But his throw was wide-right to High Desert second baseman Belvani Martinez and sailed into right field putting runners on first and third.

Lynchburg's Kory DeHaan then followed with a double, scoring both runners and giving the Carolina League the early advantage.

In the fifth, it was Martinez's inability to handle an easy grounder by Frederick's Luis Matos with one out that led to two runs.

Eddy Martinez, who doubled and was sacrificed to third, scored on the error. Three batters, a stolen base and one out later, Potomac designated hitter Andy Bevins singled to center scoring Matos for a 5-1 lead.
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