Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, August 1, 1994                   TAG: 9408020059
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WILMINGTON DROPS SALEM 4-1

It's called poor fielding down the stretch.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks parlayed two late-inning Salem errors into three unearned runs, and defeated the Bucs 4-1 in front of 1,617 spectators at Municipal Field.

``Our defense made mistakes and they didn't,'' said Salem manager Trent Jewett. ``And that's the difference between a good team and a bad team.''

Wilmington swept the weekend series, giving the Blue Rocks 14 wins in 20 games against Salem this season. The Bucs closed out July, their worst month of the year, with a 9-17 record.

The game was a 1-1 pitchers' duel between Salem's Matt Chamberlain and Wilmington's Jim Pittsley for six innings. Pittsley struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. Chamberlain struck out the side in the third, and combined with first baseman Jon Farrell and Collier for a slick 3-6-1 double play in the fifth.

Salem's run came on a Chance Sanford homer to lead off the second, and Wilmington manufactured its first run on a bunt single, two sacrifices and solid hit up the middle.

While Chamberlain and Pittsley pitched well, neither was involved in the decision.

Blue Rocks shortstop Felix Martinez led off the seventh and the ninth innings with what should have been two outs. Instead, he reached base and subsequently scored - both times on Steve Sisco singles.

In the seventh, Martinez hit a sharp grounder off reliever Matt Ryan to Salem shortstop Louis Collier, and reached base on Collier's high throw. Wilmington's Steve Murphy advanced Martinez to second on a bunt single, and leadoff man Johnny Damon moved them over with a sacrifice.

``[Collier] threw the ball hard, and it drifted on him,'' Jewett said. ``It wasn't a timid error. I've got no problem with that.''

In the ninth, Martinez hit a fly down the line that leftfielder Danny Clyburn misplayed for a two-base error. Martinez stole third with one out, and then walked home after Sisco reached out and punched a single to right.

``[Clyburn] just overran it,'' Jewett explained. ``It was close to being foul.''

Blue Rock designated hitter Andy Stewart drove in Johnny Damon with his team's final run. Damon, who entered the game tied for the Carolina League lead in hitting (.319), went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice and a walk.

The Bucs were held to four hits, two singles by Farrell, a ground-rule double by rightfielder Reed Secrist and Sanford's home run.

``When you live on one home run from your second baseman, you're gonna have a long year,'' Jewett said. ``I thought Farrell swung the ball real nice tonight, but most of the time when we hit it good, it was right at 'em.

``I think Wilmington's the best team in this league, and we're a long way from that ...A long way from that.''

Keywords:
BASEBALL