Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By CONNOR ENNIS; Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Tuesday, August 10, 1999 Page: 1B
MOOSIC- No one could have blamed the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons for
losing a little confidence Monday night when they failed to score after
putting men on first and third with none out in the sixth against Rochester
pitcher Doug Linton.
That’s because Linton is a bona fide Baron-killer with 12 career victories
against the club, in cluding two in the last month, and gives the Barons
scoring opportunities at about the same frequency as the Baltimore Orioles’
Albert Belle talks to the media.
Jon Zuber paid no attention to Linton’s history, however, and hit a two-run
homer in the seventh to give the Barons a 2-1 victory in front of 7,029 at
Lackawanna County Stadium. The loss is the fourth straight for the Red Wings.
The win, combined with a Pawtucket loss, puts the Barons in first place by
one-half game over the Red Sox. Syracuse is in third place, one game behind
the Barons.
“You don’t get too many shots at Mr. Linton,” Red Barons manager Marc
Bombard said. “He’s been very tough and he pitched a great game, but so did
our guys.”
Indeed, while Zuber’s homer put the winning runs on the board, it was
pitching and defense that made the runs stand up.
Barons’ starter Anthony Shumaker went six strong innings, allowing only one
run in the first. He scattered seven hits before deferring to Darryl Scott,
who pitched three scoreless innings to get the victory, running his record to
5-5.
Linton’s record falls to 6-5 after going the distance. He gave up just five
hits and struck out eight, while walking none. Besides Zuber and Torey
Lovullo, who was on base when Zuber hit the game-winner, Linton allowed only
one Baron past second all night.
“If you wanted to come to the party to see pitching and defense, you saw it
tonight,” Bombard said. “Our outfield play was great, the catching was good
and our infield defense was good.”
The Barons had two great defensive plays that played a major factor in the
victory. Perhaps the biggest came in the fifth inning when the Red Wings had
runners on second and third with no outs and a 1-0 lead.
Derrick May hit a bouncer to first baseman Zuber, who tagged first for a
putout, and then gunned out Jerry Hairston, who drifted too far from second.
The Red Wing threat was ended when the next batter flied out.
In the ninth, Rochester again looked ready to put together a rally when
Howie Clark doubled to start the inning. John Isom attempted to bunt Clark to
third, however, Scott was quick off the mound, fielded the bunt and threw out
Clark at third.
Rochester was able to take an early lead when consecutive singles put
runners on first and third with one out in the first. Julio Vinas then hit a
sacrifice fly to right to score P.J. Forbes for the one-run advantage.
Red Barons2
Rochester1