Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 16, 1990 TAG: 9004160248
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"Right now, [the Bucs] are just a better team than we are," he said after Salem completed a four-game sweep of the Carolina League season-opening series with the Cannons.
Salem first baseman Ben Shelton and catcher Tim Hines hit home runs, and pitchers John Latham and Tim McDowell combined for a seven-hitter as Salem concluded its defusing of the Cannons with a 7-1 victory Sunday at Municipal Field.
"It's [the fast start] just a tribute to how we left spring training," Bucs manager Stan Cliburn said. "Everybody came here ready to play."
And how!
In four games, the Bucs outscored the Cannons 34-10, hit four home runs, three triples and eight doubles.
The Bucs put Prince William away Sunday by starting run-scoring rallies with two outs in the fourth and sixth innings.
Prince William starter Gerald Nielsen walked Hines after getting the first two batters in the fourth. Then Shelton made him pay for the mistake by crushing a pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run homer that increased the Bucs lead to 3-0.
"It was a high fastball, and I was sitting on it," Shelton said. "Everybody's in a good grove. Starting the season at home, we all wanted to play well. We're on a real high right now."
Salem put the game out of reach in the sixth.
With the score 3-1, Hines took Nielsen deep to right for a two-out solo homer that ignited another surge.
Shelton walked, went to second on a wild pitch, then scored on a single by Mike Huyler. Denbo replaced Nielsen with James Moody, who walked Robert Bailey.
Sims singled to right, scoring Huyler. Third baseman Bruce Schreiber followed with a run-scoring hit and the Bucs were in control 7-1.
"We're getting timely hitting," Cliburn said. "With nobody on and two outs, you need that third hitter to stay aggressive. If he can get on, that keeps the pressure on the pitcher. Then you really can make things happen."
Except for a solo homer by Herb Ehrhardt in the fifth, Latham was barely touched. In 5 innings he scattered four hits, struck out five and walked one. McDowell closed out the win for his first save.
Salem leadoff hitter Greg Sims laced two more singles to give him nine hits in 17 at-bats on the season.
"That's great for me," said Sims, who also has six RBI. "My main job is to get on base any way I can."
Last season, in 90 at-bats, in Salem, Sims hit .178. The difference? Last year, Sims was just beginning the conversion from hitting right-handed to left-handed.
"I think it's all a year under my belt from the left-hand side," he said. "I feel more comfortable now."
Sims said he switched to hitting left-handed to take better advantage of his speed. And besides, he said, "I've always wanted to be left-handed. I just liked the left-handers' style."
\ BUCSHOTS: Right-hander Paul Miller, 6-12 last season with Salem, will be on the mound as the Bucs open a three-game series with Frederick tonight. The Keys opened the season by winning three of four at Lynchburg. Frederick is the Carolina League affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and features infielder Pete Rose Jr. PR. WILLIAM SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Zazueta 2b5010 Sims cf4022 Bridges dh3000 Schreiber 3b3011 Silvestri ss3010 Pennye lf4000 Rodriquez ss0000 Raisanen dh4000 Obando lf4010 Estep rf4000 Howell rf4010 Hines c3211 Snow 1b4000 Shelton 1b2312 Davis 3b3010 Huyler ss4121 Ehrhardt c3111 Bailey 2b3100 Hernandez c1010 Oster cf3000 Totals33 1 7 1 Totals 31 7 7 7
Pr. William000 010 000-1 Salem001 204 000-7
E-Obando, Zazueta. DP-Salem 1. LOB-Prince William 8, Salem 6. HR-Shelton (1), Hines (1), Ehrhardt (1). SB-Silvestri (1), Obando (1). SF-Sims. IP HRERBBSO Pr. William Nielsen L, 0-1 556642 Moody 221112 Salem Latham W, 1-0 541115 McDowell S, 1 330022
HBP - Silvestri by Latham. WP-Nielsen, McDowell.
Umpires-Home, York; bases, Barket.
T-2:22. A-1063. B8 B4 BUCS Bucs
by CNB