Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 16, 1995 TAG: 9508160084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
The surroundings changed. The fences were shorter. The stadium was less cavernous.
Yet, the Salem Avalanche continued to struggle.
The Lynchburg Hillcats took advantage of two first-inning runs and Salem's inability to come up with the big hit to down the Avalanche 3-2 on Tuesday night in Carolina League baseball, sending Salem to its fourth consecutive loss and sixth in its past eight games.
The Avalanche (25-26) had won 11 of 14 meetings with Lynchburg this season, including six of seven at City Stadium, but could not come up with some timely hitting. The Avalanche, which left ten men on base for the game, stranded two in the first, three in the second, two in the sixth and eighth innings after pushing one run across in each and the potential tying run at second in the ninth.
Lynchburg (25-27) scored two in the first off Salem starter Jason Johnson (0-1). With one out, Lou Collier doubled and Reed Secrist walked. Ken Bonifay followed with an RBI single to score Collier, and one out later Jay Knoblauh singled home Secrist to give the Hillcats a 2-0 lead.
Salem tacked on a run in the sixth when Colin Dixon and Brian Culp each singled to lead off the inning off Lynchburg starter Jason Pfaff (5-6). Nate Holdren's sacrifice put runners at second and third, and Forry Wells' groundout off reliever Sean Lawrence scored Dixon with the Avalanche's first run. After walking Keith Grunewald, Lawrence got Yohel Pozo to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Lynchburg responded in the bottom of the sixth when Knoblauh tripled off Salem reliever Curt Conley and scored on Tommy Robertson's single.
Salem mounted a threat in the eighth. Dixon popped up, but miscommunication in the infield allowed him to reach second with a double. Culp followed with a double to score Dixon and cut the lead to 3-2. One out later, Wells flew out and Culp - thinking there were two outs - was doubled off second to end the inning.
Johnson took the loss, going 22/3 innings and giving up two runs on six hits. Pfaff got the victory, pitching 51/3 innings and giving up one run on seven hits while walking one and striking out six.
NOTES: Matt Pool (8-6) will start today for the Avalanche against Lynchburg's Chris Peters (10-5). Game time is 7 p.m. ...Salem second baseman Vicente Garcia left Tuesday night's game after suffering a knee injury. His status was not known.
by CNB