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

DATE: TUESDAY, June 27, 1995                   TAG: 9506270083
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SALEM LEFTY LOOKS LIKE A MILLION IN WIN

By the time the lights of Municipal Field were knocked out by some unknown force Monday night, Salem Avalanche pitcher Doug Million already had turned out the lights on the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Million threw the daylights out of the baseball in winning his second consecutive start, beating Lynchburg 6-1 in a Carolina League game. The 19-year-old left-hander gave up five hits and one run through 7 1/3 innings before the lights in East Salem went out.

By the time they came back on 25 minutes later, reliever Scott LaRock had taken the mound under cover of darkness. LaRock proceeded to pitch scoreless ball in a steady rain as Salem won for the fifth time in six games during the second half of the season. The Avalanche has won eight of nine overall.

For Million, it was the second victory after an 0-3 start. His effort Monday matched his season so far, in that it got better only after a rocky start.

Lynchburg's run came in the first inning, as Million walked two batters then uncorked a wild pitch to let Raul Rodarte score.

After issuing his third walk of the game, in the third, Million was visited by pitching coach Bill Champion.

``I told him to stop rushing his delivery,'' Champion said. ``He was getting in a hurry on the mound and getting hurt at the plate.''

Million held the Hillcats to one hit from the third through sixth innings, faced two batters more than the minimum and picked off a runner. ``[Million] did a 360,'' said Salem manager Bill Hayes. ``He wasn't even hitting the catcher with it.''

Using a fastball that reaches the upper 80-mph range, a sharp curve that breaks in on right-handers' fists and a good change-up, Million finished with five strikeouts while walking four.

``You saw a little bit of what Doug Million's career holds for him,'' Champion said.

The Colorado Rockies obviously thought a lot of him when they selected him out of Sarasota (Fla.) High School with their first pick of the 1994 draft. He went on the disabled list this year with a sore shoulder, but has thrown better in the past two weeks.

``The first half was frustrating,'' Million said. ``Champy said, `Now it's time to start pitching.' I just need to get my arm strength up.''

Million held the Hillcats at bay as the Avalanche offense warmed up. Salem tied the score in the fourth by turning three consecutive singles into a run. After Forry Wells singled to left with one out, he moved to third on Keith Grunewald's hit and took third when Lynchburg center fielder Charles Peterson bobbled the ball.

Nate Holdren brought home Wells with a single to left. The Avalanche left the sacks full that inning, but took the lead for good with a three-run fifth.

Chris Sexton led off the fifth by reaching on an error, Vincente Garcia was walked by Lynchburg's John Dillinger (4-2) and both runners scored on an Edgard Velasquez hit to make it 3-1. Grunewald, who had three hits, doubled home Velasquez to make it 4-1.

In the seventh, Garcia tripled home Sexton, who had walked, and scored on Velasquez's sacrifice fly.

``Timely hitting,'' Hayes said.

EXTRA BASES: Following Sunday's game, the Avalanche sent pitcher Keith Barnes and outfielder Mark Wells to Asheville of the South Atlantic League. In return, the Avalanche received right-handed pitcher Brent Crowther (12-3), who leads the SAL in victories and is eighth in ERA (2.28). Crowther, who has three complete-game shutouts, makes his Salem debut Wednesday.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

by CNB