Southern Oregon Road Trip Turns Into Longest Day
With time to kill before a July 3 game at Everett, the Southern Oregon Timberjacks attended an afternoon contest in the Kingdome between their parent club, Oakland, and the host Seattle Mariners.
After the game, the Timberjacks boarded their bus at 3:30 p.m., but driver Jerry Dyer found the air brakes locked. Attending to the problem took 90 minutes, during which time the players watched “Christmas Vacation,” the Chevy Chase comedy, on the bus TV.
“We finished the last half-hour (of the video) on the highway,” said pitcher Flint Wallace.
The players could have watched “The Longest Day” during their northbound trip on Interstate 5. Rush-hour traffic made the 30-some miles to Everett a 1 hour, 40-minute proposition.
With the 7:05 game fast approaching, the Timberjacks attempted to call Everett but couldn’t get through.
There was no time to warm up when Southern Oregon arrived 25 minutes before game time, yet the Timberjacks won 11-5 with a barrage of six doubles.
“When they showed up late, I knew it was going to be a weird night,” said Everett infielder Rob Zachmann.
Over their heads
Mariners left-hander Tim Davis, in his first rehabilitation outing since breaking his leg six weeks ago, struck out five batters in two innings Monday against Portland.
“You can’t judge how good these guys are when they face a major-league pitcher,” Davis said. “I pitch totally different from the other guys they’re going to face.”
“That was quite an experience,” said Portland’s Mark Hamlin, who struck out against Davis but singled in a run after the lefty departed. … “He’s way ahead of us right now. But we want to work to where we’ll be able to hit pitchers like him.”
Davis was scheduled to pitch again Wednesday, but never showed at Everett Memorial Stadium and ended up in relieving in the Mariners game Thursday.
Sound on the mound
First Everett, then Bellingham tried to get the most out of Alberto Castillo at first base.
This year - his second with Bellingham and third in the NWL the 21-year-old Cuban has been shifted to the mound.
With Castillo leading the way, Bellingham (3.30) has the league’s premier earned-run average. Castillo, after a win Thursday, is 3-0 with a 2.14 ERA.
Popular draw
Through its first 10 home games Portland had drawn 93,117 fans, or more than four NWL teams attracted all last year.
The Rockies set the league attendance record (249,696) last year and are on pace to draw 350,000.
Right at home
Yakima’s Matt Meyer and Casey Deskins are hometown heroes. Both attended Yakima Valley Community College before transferring to Nebraska.
Meyer attended Yakima’s Eisenhower High. Deskins, whom Florida drafted in ‘94 then released, recovered from reconstructive arm surgery. He wrangled a tryout from Bears manager Joe Vavra during a fishing trip.
Around the league
Boise’s seven-year manager Tom Kotchman should chalk up his 300th win this week. The NWL record is 376, by Walla Walla’s Cliff Ditto (1973-78). … Boise infielder Trent Durrington, a Sydney, Australia, native, has a stuffed, mounted kangaroo head above his locker. Durrington leads the league with 15 stolen bases. … Eugene shortstop Mark DeRosa quarterbacked Penn to the Ivy League title two years ago. DeRosa came within 69 yards of the school passing record. … Portland pitcher Cristy Rosa left a June 30 game after one inning because of stabbing pain in his arm. On Independence Day, Rosa learned he had chicken pox.
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