NetShrine
06-27-2001, 07:52 AM
Tuesday, June 26
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Who says you can't steal first base?
Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon proved you can -- and, appropriately enough, his Pirates stole a victory Tuesday night.
McClendon walks off the field carrying first base after being ejected in the seventh inning.
Aramis Ramirez tied it in the 11th inning with a two-out, two-run homer, and rookie Rob Mackowiak hit an RBI single in the 12th that gave the Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
McClendon was ejected in the seventh in memorable fashion after becoming angry when Jason Kendall was called out at first on a close play.
The first-year manager ran onto the field, argued briefly, threw his cap toward second base, then yanked the first base bag out of the ground in protest and carried it into the dugout.
McClendon, of course, was ejected by first-base umpire Rick Reed, whose face was also clenched in anger as he watched McClendon walk off with the base -- McClendon's first stolen base since 1992.
"I told him he wasn't using it, so I thought I'd take it," said McClendon, who was angered when Abraham Nunez was called out on a similar close play a couple of innings before.
McClendon said he regretted the incident, but finally snapped after a half-season of losing. Despite winning two in a row from Milwaukee, the Pirates are 20 games under .500 and have the NL's worst record.
"I've been nice to these guys all year, and I know all about the new relationship we're supposed to have with the umpires, but my club has been taken advantage of all year," he said. "You can sense they (the umpires) relax against my club. ... It's like it doesn't matter with us if they get the call right or wrong. I don't care for that at all."
Asked if he thought he would be fined or suspended, McClendon said, "I'm sure I'll hear from him (commissioner Bud Selig). But all I ask is a fair shake from the umpires."
After McClendon handed his lineup card to bench coach Bill Virdon and whipped the base down the dugout runway, Reed signaled to the ground crew to bring in a replacement bag so the game could continue.
"From a creativity standpoint, you have to give him a 10," said Kevin Young, who had three hits and drove in three runs. "That's something you'll see on TV for years."
Said Brian Giles: "That was one of the great snaps of all time."
McClendon's stunt didn't immediately inspire the Pirates, who had been shut out from the fourth inning on and were down 6-4 with two outs in the 11th.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Who says you can't steal first base?
Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon proved you can -- and, appropriately enough, his Pirates stole a victory Tuesday night.
McClendon walks off the field carrying first base after being ejected in the seventh inning.
Aramis Ramirez tied it in the 11th inning with a two-out, two-run homer, and rookie Rob Mackowiak hit an RBI single in the 12th that gave the Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
McClendon was ejected in the seventh in memorable fashion after becoming angry when Jason Kendall was called out at first on a close play.
The first-year manager ran onto the field, argued briefly, threw his cap toward second base, then yanked the first base bag out of the ground in protest and carried it into the dugout.
McClendon, of course, was ejected by first-base umpire Rick Reed, whose face was also clenched in anger as he watched McClendon walk off with the base -- McClendon's first stolen base since 1992.
"I told him he wasn't using it, so I thought I'd take it," said McClendon, who was angered when Abraham Nunez was called out on a similar close play a couple of innings before.
McClendon said he regretted the incident, but finally snapped after a half-season of losing. Despite winning two in a row from Milwaukee, the Pirates are 20 games under .500 and have the NL's worst record.
"I've been nice to these guys all year, and I know all about the new relationship we're supposed to have with the umpires, but my club has been taken advantage of all year," he said. "You can sense they (the umpires) relax against my club. ... It's like it doesn't matter with us if they get the call right or wrong. I don't care for that at all."
Asked if he thought he would be fined or suspended, McClendon said, "I'm sure I'll hear from him (commissioner Bud Selig). But all I ask is a fair shake from the umpires."
After McClendon handed his lineup card to bench coach Bill Virdon and whipped the base down the dugout runway, Reed signaled to the ground crew to bring in a replacement bag so the game could continue.
"From a creativity standpoint, you have to give him a 10," said Kevin Young, who had three hits and drove in three runs. "That's something you'll see on TV for years."
Said Brian Giles: "That was one of the great snaps of all time."
McClendon's stunt didn't immediately inspire the Pirates, who had been shut out from the fourth inning on and were down 6-4 with two outs in the 11th.