Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 29, 1990 TAG: 9006290306
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Starter Keith Morrison and relievers Henry Werland and Raymond Mack combined on a five-hitter as the Braves dispatched the Kingsport Mets 5-3 in an Appalachian League baseball game at Calfee Park.
The work turned in by that trio could have provided a useful instructional video for the strategic use of pitching staffs.
Morrison pitched six innings, giving up two runs and five hits while striking out six and walking two. Werland then took over and labored the next two innings, surrendering one run and no hits. Mack then blanked the Mets in the ninth for his first professional save.
Mack made it a little hard on himself by balking his inherited runner to second. But a groundout and two strikeouts finished the Mets (3-5) off.
After being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 1989 draft and putting in a brief stint of Arizona Instructional League, Mack was traded to the Braves last summer. That didn't give him long to prepare for what the Atlanta organization had in mind: short relief.
Coming out of high school in Sumter, S.C., Mack's background was as a starting pitcher.
"I kind of like short relief," he said. "I'm comfortable coming in in tight situations. I like to pitch under pressure."
Morrison is continuing with what has been a very productivE spring for him. The right-hander arrived here out of Middle Georgia Community College after helping lead the school to a second-place finish at the Junior College World Series. He had a 10-3 record and fanned 124 batters, 16 of them in one game this spring.
Now, he's 2-0 with 12 strikeouts and three walks in 12 innings. That wasn't accomplished with ease, though.
"I didn't have a good fastball tonight because I keep slipping when I land, coming down on my heel instead of the front of my foot," he said. "I've got to work on that."
Pulaski took a 3-0 lead in the first on three hits, a wild pitch, and two of the Mets' five errors. Jamie Crump brought one run home on a groundout and Troy Hughes another with an RBI single.
Kingsport 100 010 100 0-3 5 5
Pulaski 310 000 01 x-5 7 1
Wegman, Polanco (4), Carpenter (8) and Rudolph. Morrison, Werland (7), Mack (9) and Gonzalez. W-Morrison (2-0). L-Wegman (0-1). S-Mack (1).
by CNB