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By PAUL SOKOLOSKI; Times Leader Sports Writer
Thursday, July 20, 1995     Page:

COLUMBUS — The ball that ripped down the third base line looked to be no
more than a run-scoring double.
   
But suddenly, it was past Steve Bieser in left field, and the
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons were heading for problems.
    “It’s 360 feet out there,” Red Barons manager Mike Quade said. “Once I saw
it got past him, I said, `We’re in trouble.’ ”
   
As it rolled to the deep outfield wall, Andy Fox circled the bases with a
three-run, inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning that helped Columbus
to a 5-4 victory over the Red Barons.
   
That was the first time in six tries that Columbus beat the Red Barons at
Cooper Stadium this season, with one game remaining between the teams there at
12:30 p.m. today.
   
The loss dropped the Red Barons to 50-48 and out of second place in the
International League East a day after they claimed it, as they fell behind
51-48 Rochester.
   
“We just got beat,” Quade said. “I still think we’re having a pretty good
road trip.”
   
Indeed, the best in franchise history. The Red Barons take a 9-4 record
into the final day of the 14-game swing today before returning to Lackawanna
County Stadium for a season-long 10-day homestand.
   
They were locked in a 1-1 tie in the fifth when Tony Perezchica and Jorge
Posada both singled to open the inning.
   
Then the blow by Fox kicked past Bieser and rolled all the way back to the
outfield wall. Fox jetted around the bases, scoring behind Perezchica and
Posada with what was ruled a homer for a 4-1 Clippers lead.
   
“Cooper Stadium helped out with a little, friendly kick,” Fox said. “I
didn’t pick it up at first. I saw it kind of halfway between first and second
and I thought I had a chance to get an inside-the-parker.”
   
“I’d love to have Bieser keep that ball in front of him,” Quade said. “That
was obviously a big play.”
   
It was enough to doom the Red Barons to their first defeat in Columbus of
the season, despite a spirited ninth-inning rally.
   
Trailing 5-3, the Red Barons filled the bases when Charlie Montoyo hustled
out an infield hit and Rick Holifield and Shawn Gilbert followed by drawing
one-out walks.
   
Montoyo scored on Jon Cuber’s fielder’s choice ground out, cutting the
Columbus lead to run and putting Holifield on third base with the potential
tying run.
   
But Clippers closer Dave Pavlas kept him there, as he toughened to induce
Kevin Jordan’s game-ending ground out.
   
“Good to see the guys battle back,” Quade said. “I give Pavlas credit. He
managed to get through it.”