Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 12, 1994 TAG: 9407130071
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Austin, whose premature home-run trot cost him a red-faced out at third base that ended a game Saturday night, slugged a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a tie and deliver a 10-7 Carolina League victory over the Kinston Indians in front of 1,191 beaming fans Monday at Municipal Field.
Once Austin had hit his two-out homer off Indians reliever Bo Magee, body language gave full illustration to what was going through the hitter's mind.
"I just put my head down and ran like a madman," said Austin, who paused only briefly to slap hands with manager Trent Jewett while rounding third. "I didn't want any more deja vu. I'm not taking anything for granted in this ballpark any more."
The Bucs (9-11) were down to their last out and trailing Kinston 3-0 Saturday when Austin slugged one high in the air to right field. Only problem was, the light pole interfered and the ball remained in play.
"I didn't know what happened until the ball went whistling past my ear," he said.
Jewett was not at all pleased. After Monday's heroics by Austin, the manager was in a more agreeable mood.
"It's good to see a guy learn his lesson on the first try," Jewett said.
Austin made a case for himself Monday by going 2-for-4 with two steals and two runs scored. The homer made a winner of Matt Ryan, whose difficulties in the eighth, his second inning of work, allowed the Indians (9-11) to erase a 6-3 deficit and take a 7-6 lead. Epi Cardenas singled in one run and Sam Hence doubled in two more, both hits coming with two out, as the Indians moved in front.
Hence ended with three doubles, one short of a league record for one game shared by six players.
Sean Evans allowed one hit and struck out two to earn his sixth save for Salem. Ryan had 13 saves at Augusta before arriving in Salem, but he's going to have to wait his turn as long as Evans is around.
"I know it's tough for him not to be the stopper," Jewett said. "But he's going to have to pay his dues like Evans did. I probably asked [Ryan] to do more than he's used to when he pitched two innings tonight.
"I like the way he's pitched since he's been here, though. He's thrown nothing but strikes, He's done a great job."
Talk about great jobs and discussion has to come around to Secrist. He continued to show his versatility Monday by playing third base for the first time in at least a month. He had an error - "I've got to work on playing third," he said - but not many were paying a whole lot of attention to that after he went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBI.
Playing in four of the six games of the homestand, Secrist went 9-for-16 (.562) with two homers and two doubles to raise his batting average 47 points to .245. How about it, Reed, ever been this hot before?
"Maybe in college, although I went 7-for-11 with three homers against the Indians last year at Augusta," he said.
Sanford had three hits, including his second homer in as many nights.
The offense spoke for itself. As for the pitching, it might have taken a more studied eye to appreciate that.
"I thought we pitched very well," Jewett said.
Left-handed starter Matt Ruebel wasn't involved in the decision, but he more than kept the Bucs in the game by scattering five hits over six innings. Ruebel struck out five and gave up three runs.
"I felt better than I have my last two outings," he said. "I had better command of my pitches."
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB