Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 23, 1995 TAG: 9508230089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Too bad the Salem Avalanche was on the other side of that celebration.
Battery mates Tim Byrdak and Mike Sweeney were the terrible two as the Wilmington Blue Rocks clinched the Northern Division title with a 5-0 shutout over Carolina League foe Salem before a crowd of 2,657 on Tuesday night.
Catcher Sweeney smacked a pair of two-run home runs and drove in another run with a ground out to provide all of the game's offense.
Pitcher Byrdak (11-4) scattered six hits and struck out six in seven innings of work for Wilmington.
"I guess you can say their battery was on," Salem manager Bill Hayes said. "The pitcher goes seven innings and doesn't give up anything and the catcher drives in five runs."
The loss was the 12th time the Avalanche (28-30) has been shut out this season.
Sweeney, batting .317 with 14 homers coming into the game, wasted no time putting Wilmington (41-18) on the scoreboard.
With Anthony Medrano on first and one out, Sweeney slapped a 2-0 fastball off Avalanche starter Brent Crowther (3-5) over the left-field fence in the first inning.
Two innings later, with runners at the corners, Sweeney grounded out to shortstop Chris Sexton to score Luke Oglesby for a 3-0 lead.
And then came the eighth.
Salem reliever Scott LaRock had a performance he'd rather forget.
LaRock, who relieved Crowther with one on and no out, threw a wild pitch on his first delivery to Sweeney. Medrano, who had doubled to lead off the inning, advanced to third.
Sweeney then got a ball and swung at an offspeed pitch in the dirt for a 2-1 count. The fourth offering, however, was not missed.
The slugger hit LaRock's slider over the power alley in left center field for the game's final runs and his 16th homer of the season.
"I was just thinking 'sit back and drive the runner in,'" Sweeney said in between receiving handshakes and pats on the back from his teammates in the locker room.
Sweeney singled in the ninth to finish with three hits.
"He's been swinging the bat well all season," said Byrdak.
As for LaRock, the inning didn't get any better. He allowed singles to the next two batters and was relieved by Bill Bliss.
Bliss retired the next three batters on a pair of fielder's choices and a strikeout to end the inning.
LaRock didn't have too much to say about his brief but disastrous outing in which he allowed a run and three hits without retiring a batter.
"Just terrible," LaRock said. "Simple as that."
Byrdak, on the other hand, didn't allow two runners on base the whole night and no Avalanche player advanced past second.
Crowther allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out seven in seven plus innings for Salem.
NOTES: Left-hander Glendon Rusch (12-6, 1.83 ERA) takes the mound for Wilmington against fellow lefty Doug Million (4-5, 4.77) for Salem tonight at 7 p.m. in the third contest of the four-game series.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB