Sideline

By BRANT JAMES

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 10, 2001

Baseball

Arroyo goes where no Pirate has gone before

HOUSTON -- Bronson Arroyo did what no pitcher this year and no Pittsburgh Pirate ever has done on Saturday: beat the Houston Astros at Enron Field.

The Hernando alum allowed three runs on five hits and four walks and struck out five in five innings as the Pirates won for the first time in nine games at the Astros' second-year ballpark.

Arroyo did not win on the road last year, but he handed the Astros theirfirst loss in five games this season.

Arroyo flirted with trouble and wildness, he said because 78-percent humidity affected his grip on the ball, but kept Pittsburgh close.

"He showed a lot of moxie, lot of poise in a couple of tough situations," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "He kept us in that ballgame. He didn't back down. That's the key to pitching. Give up a run here and a run there, but the ballclub's still in it.

"He didn't panic," McClendon said. "He didn't fall apart. He kept us in the ballgame. I think that was real big for us."

Wrestling

DeCristofaro wins two at nationals

NEWARK, Del. -- Springstead senior Gerard DeCristofaro, the Class A 140-pound state champion this season, went 2-2 this weekend in the National High School Seniors Wrestling Championships.

The event was open to all seniors who finished in the top two in their respective state during their career.

Competing at 135 pounds, DeCristofaro beat New Jersey's Zach Stevens 6-4 in overtime in the first round before Maryland's Adam DeCosmo dispatched DeCristofaro to the consolation bracket with a 12-10 decision.

DeCristofaro, who amassed a 49-0 record in the prep season, advanced in wrestlebacks with a 9-8 win over Maryland's Ryan Mackin before Minnesota's David Kerzman ended DeCristofaro's tourney with a 17-5 loss.

Lecanto's Harold Skidmore, a Class A 130-pound runner-up this season, went 1-2.

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