Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 29, 1995 TAG: 9508290063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Finishing in first place in the Southern Division of the Carolina League is still a mathematical possibility for the Salem Avalanche.
But about the only way that would happen is if the first-place Kinston Indians lost the rest of their games.
Salem (31-34) lost its third straight contest and dropped 5 games back of the Indians after a 6-2 defeat to the Wilmington Blue Rocks in front of a crowd of 2,469 at Memorial Stadium on Monday night.
Kinston (35-28), which has played two fewer games than Salem, defeated Durham 1-0 on Monday. The Indians could eliminate the Avalanche from playoff contention with any combination of two Salem losses or two Kinston wins.
At this point, Salem manager Bill Hayes no longer is talking of his team making the playoffs.
"I would like for us to at least finish .500," Hayes said.
The Salem franchise hasn't finished with a winning record since the second half of 1988, a string of 13 losing halves.
And if Monday is any indication of the next five games, the string will extend to 14.
The Blue Rocks used an infield single, a wild pitch and two errors off of Avalanche starting pitcher Doug Million (4-7) in the second inning for a 1-0 lead.
An inning later, Ramy Brooks and Mendy Lopez each hit two-out, run-scoring singles for a 3-0 Wilmington lead.
In contrast, Colin Dixon led off the bottom of the second for Salem but was left stranded at third.
"We didn't execute and they did," Hayes said.
In the fourth, Wilmington scored again when Donovan Delaney drove home Oscar Jimenez with a single for a 4-0 lead.
Salem got on the board in the bottom of the inning with a run-scoring double by Forry Wells off of Wilmington starter Javier Gamboa (2-4) to score Edgard Velasquez.
However, Wilmington responded with its final two runs of the game.
Lopez doubled home Brooks and Lopez then scored on a single by Jimenez to knock Million out with one out and two on in the fifth.
Joe Waldron allowed a single to Luke Ogelsby to load the bases but got Sergio Nunez to ground into a double play to end the inning.
In his three starts against Wilmington, Million went 0-2 with eight earned runs allowed and 18 hits in 141/3 innings.
Wells drove in Velasquez again with another double, this time off reliever Eric Anderson, in the eighth for the game's final run.
Gamboa was in control in his second straight start against the Avalanche.
He allowed one run and three hits and struck out seven in seven innings. Last week against Salem, Gamboa allowed one run on five hits in six innings but received a no decision as Salem scored six runs off the bullpen in a 7-3 Avalanche victory.
"I have been feeling good lately," said Gamboa, who was promoted from Class A Springfield in the Midwest League last month. "I have been more confident, and the coaching staff has been helping me keep the ball down."
Wilmington, 12 games ahead of Lynchburg in the Northern Division going into Monday night's game, has benefited from solid play in all areas.
"The whole team has been tough on us," Hayes said. "They go out, play the game and take the lead.
"And we have to face two of the league's top two pitchers the next two nights."
The Avalanche faces left-hander Glendon Rusch tonight and lefty Tim Byrdak on Wednesday night. Each pitcher threw seven innings and walked away with a victory in games against the Avalanche last week.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB