Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 26, 1990 TAG: 9005260260
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Friday night at Municipal Field, the Bucs played the kind of baseball manager Stan Cliburn had been waiting to see. Salem manufactured runs with aggressive running and power hitting, starter Paul Miller pitched eight strong innings and reliever Jim Czajkowski closed the ninth.
In the process, the Bucs ended a seven-game losing streak with a 5-0 Carolina League victory over the Lynchburg Red Sox.
"I've said all along I've been happy with the position players," Cliburn said. "The pitchers and [Salem pitching coach] Chris Lein had another meeting today, and they responded to that. That's what you look for in player development - when they're struggling to try and find answers that they're comfortable with."
"With experienced pitchers like Miller and [Salem starter Steve Buckholz], all they have to do is go at batters aggressively. Their good stuff will take care of itself."
Miller certainly was aggressive Friday. Except for the fifth inning, when he worked out of base-loaded situation, Miller was never in trouble. He scattered eight hits in eight innings to pick up his first victory in nine starts.
"I was able to throw strikes with all four pitches tonight," said Miller (1-1). "That had a lot to do with it. But I've been really struggling to find that strikeout pitch. It's not where I want it to be. I go into spurts. I'll have it going well for a couple of innings, and then all of sudden I forget what I did to make it work. I've got to get more consistency."
After Miller gave up two singles to start the ninth, Cliburn went to Czajkowski. The recently acquire reliever, making his second appearance for the Bucs, struck out the first two batters he faced. He retired Jim Byrd on a groundout to end the game.
The Bucs got the only run they would need in the first inning.
Center fielder Greg Sims led off with a single and stole second. He scored on a two-out single by Domingo Merejo.
The Bucs used the same formula in the fourth.
This time it was Merejo who singled and stole second. Chris Estep drove in Merejo with a single. Left fielder Darwin Pennye, who has been on a hitting tear the last two weeks, blasted a towering home run over the scoreboard in left field to make it 4-0.
Estep added the final run in the eight by hitting his league-leading ninth homer.
\ BUCSHOTS: Stan Fansler, who was just assigned to Salem after extended spring training, will be on the mound tonight for the Bucs as they continue their four-game series with the Red Sox. Howard Landry (2-0, 3.20 ERA) will pitch for Lynchburg.
LYNCHBURG SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Byrd ss5010 Sims cf4110 Powers 2b3000 Schreiber 3b4000 Blosser rf3000 Romero c4000 Williams c4010 Merejo dh4121 Wallin 1b4000 Estep rf4222 Whitehead dh4020 Pennye lf3122 Malzone 3b4020 Shelton 1b3000 Perozo lf4010 Huyler ss3010 Rivers cf4010 McNabb 2b3000 Totals35 0 8 0 Totals 32 5 8 5
Lynchburg000 000 000-0 Salem100 300 01X-5
E-Huyler, Rivers. DP-Salem 1. LOB-Lynchburg 10, Salem 5. 2B-Pennye. HR-Pennye (3), Estep (9). SB-Sims (17), Merejo (6). IP HRERBBSO Lynchburg Conroy L, 3-3 7644210 Stang 121102 Salem Miller W, 1-1 880025 Czajkowski 100002
Miller pitched to two batters in ninth.
WP-Miller.
Umpires-Home, Franek; bases, Langley, Smith.
T-2:45. A-1,780.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB