Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 11, 1995 TAG: 9508110069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Salem Avalanche right-hander Matt Pool responded to the challenge. Pool (8-6) allowed three hits and no runs in eight innings as the Avalanche shut out the Frederick Keys, 3-0, Thursday night in Carolina League action at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.
The Avalanche (24-22) moved to within two games of first place as division-leading Kinston (27-21) lost to Winston-Salem, 5-1.
In the four-game series, which includes Monday's 15-inning contest, Salem has scored seven runs at the new ballpark.
Pool scattered his two doubles and a single but got great defensive support to earn his first shutout of the season.
Pool allowed a double to Frederick's Roy Hodge and a walk to Dave DeLucci with one out in the first, but got Jim Foster to ground into a double play to end the threat.
In the third, Frederick (21-21) had runners at the corners and one out. However, Jesse Garcia was thrown out trying to steal second and Chris Sexton went deep into the hole at short to throw out Hodge.
The Keys threatened again in the fifth with Lamb at third and one out. Valdez hit a seemingly harmless chopper to first base, but Lamb challenged the throw of first baseman Colin Dixon and was tagged out at home. Hodge then lined a shot to deep right field, but John Giudice made a diving, over-the-shoulder grab to end the inning.
Pool breezed through the next three innings and left the game after retiring the last 12 batters he faced.
"My main priority was to stay ahead of them," said Pool. "Then I could go to my sinker to get them to hit the ball on the ground."
His sinker worked. Pool retired 13 batters on ground balls.
Offensively, the Avalanche struck early as it did in Wednesday night's 3-1 loss.
Sexton scored on a one-out double by Edgard Velasquez, who was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple.
The Avalanche then added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
Giudice got a one-out base hit in the seventh to score Brian Culp and Culp connected on a two-out single in the eighth to score Velasquez.
"We got some timely hitting tonight," said Salem manager Bill Hayes, who had become increasingly concerned with the team's lack of production. "We got some pitches to hit and we didn't miss them."
Thursday night was a nice reversal of fortune for Culp, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI after going 1-for-16 in his previous four games.
"The last couple of games, I hit the ball well but right at people," said Culp. "It was nice to break out [of the slump]."
Avalanche reliever Matt Aminoff allowed one hit in the ninth inning to earn his 14th save. Frederick starter Brad Crills (0-4) pitched 71/3 innings, allowing three runs and nine hits, to suffer the defeat.
NOTES: Salem owner Kelvin Bowles would not say if the team has any legal recourse against the NHL team in Denver that plans to call itself the Avalanche. The team announced its nickname and unveiled its logo Thursday.
Bowles said he had no official comment, but the Avalanche is having a law firm in Cincinnati look into the situation for a possible trademark violation.
The Colorado Avalanche picked its name after reviewing suggestions offered by fans.
The team is the third Colorado sports organization to have the nickname ``Avalanche.'' A professional paint-ball team in Denver also calls itself the Avalanche as does Vail's junior A-league hockey team.
Denver's new hockey team used to be the Quebec Nordiques. It moved in May when the former owner could not work out a long-term lease agreement with Quebec officials.
nThe Avalanche hosts the Durham Bulls tonight in a 6 p.m. doubleheader to start a four-game weekend series.
In the first game, right-hander Jamie Arnold (4-7, 4.01) of Durham takes the mound against Salem right-hander Brent Crowther (2-4, 3.53).
In the second game, an unannounced starter will take the mound for Durham against right-hander Mark Brownson (0-1 23.14), making his first start for the Avalanche.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB