K-Tribe wins wild one

Published in Sports on August 29, 2005 1:54 PM

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KINSTON -- Sunday night's game at historic Grainger Stadium had a little something for everyone.

Six-run inning by the K-Tribe? Check.

Eight-run inning by Potomac? Check. Players getting ejected? Check.

Fans getting ejected? Check.

A crowd of 1,271 going home happy after a Kinston win? Check.

Both teams blew four-run leads but Kinston scored the final six runs, defeating the Nationals 12-10 in the penultimate home game of the regular season.

The Indians moved to 30-32 in the second half and 71-61 overall, while Potomac fell to 28-34 and 59-73.

It looked like the Indians would run away with the game after Kinston shelled former East Carolina standout Greg Bunn for six runs in the second to take a 6-2 lead.

Rodney Choy Foo and Stephen Head had the big blows in that inning, with a two-run single and two-run double, respectively.

The Nationals answered back however, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring eight times in the top of the fourth. Vince Rooi had a two-run single to make it 6-4, and after Chad Chop lined out Jason Belcher hit what could have been an inning-ending double play ball to Brandon Pinckney at short.

Pinckney booted it though, and Potomac capitalized on the extra out. Doc Brooks hit an RBI double to right, Shawn Norris tied it at 6-6 with a single to center, and Frank Diaz gave the Nationals a 7-6 lead with a two-out single to left.

Josh Whitesell then capped the outburst by driving a three-run homer to left to make it a 10-6 Potomac lead and chase Kinston starter Adam Miller.

The Indians just chipped away though, getting two runs right back in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch by reliever Ryan France and a groundout by Michael Butia. Kinston then pulled to within a run in the fifth when Micah Schilling singled with two out, went to second on a walk, and scored on a double by Choy Foo to make it 10-9.

It stayed a one-run margin until Kinston clawed back on top with a pair of runs in the seventh. Mike Conroy was hit by a pitch with one out, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Head to tie the game. Then with runners on the corners and two outs, Ryan Goleski came through with a clutch RBI single to center off reliever John Ogiltree as Choy Foo scored what would hold up as the winning run.

The fireworks weren't over though, as Potomac put runners on the corners with one out in the eighth against left-hander Shea Douglas.

Indians manager Luis Rivera called on Kyle Collins out of the bullpen, and as Douglas walked off the field he got into a screaming match with home plate umpire Bill Sorochan and, after being ejected, had to be restrained by Rivera and pitching coach Steve Lyons.

Then as Collins was making his warm-up tosses, a fan was escorted out of the ballpark for allegedly throwing an object on to the field. Order was restored however, and Collins retired the next two men in order and then worked a five-pitch ninth to record his second save. The Indians had capped the scoring in the eighth on a fielding error by Potomac shortstop Ian Desmond.

Douglas (1-1) got the win with 0.2 innings of scoreless relief while Jason Norderum (1-2) allowed the two decisive runs in the seventh and took the loss. Head, Goleski and Pinckney all went 3-for-5 to pace Kinston's 15-hit attack.

Micah Schilling, playing for the first time since pulling a hamstring Aug. 16, went 2-for-5 and Choy Foo reached base six times with two hits and four walks.