ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605280125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WOODBRIDGE
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
Just when it looked like the Salem Avalanche had solved the riddle of the Prince William Cannons, a cruel twist of fate seemed to strike from nowhere.
Pinch-runner Sandy McKinnon scored on Zack Sawyer's wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning for the winning run as the Cannons squeaked past the Avalanche 3-2 in a Carolina League baseball game Saturday night.
The Cannons (22-26), who lost the first two games of this series, have now won seven of 10 games against Salem this season.
The loss spoiled a great outing by Salem starter Doug Million, who went eight innings and gave up one run on just three hits. He walked six and struck out 10.
Million left the game with a 2-1 lead. Salem closer Luis Colmenares was brought in in relief in the ninth and gave up a game-tying opposite-field solo homer to Jerry Whittaker on a 3-2 count. After getting Dan Fraraccio to ground out, Colmenares walked Darren Hayes and McKinnon pinch ran for him. McKinnon went to second on a balk before Colmenares got John Strasser to strike out for the second out.
Colmenares then walked Jason Evans and Brandon Moore to load the bases and that was it for him as Salem manager Bill McGuire brought in Sawyer, whose wild pitch enabled McKinnon to score.
Colmenares (4-4) took the loss, going two-thirds of an inning and giving up two runs on one hit while walking three and striking out one.
Salem (29-21) scored both its runs in the top of the sixth on Chad Gambill's RBI single and Brian Culp's run-scoring groundout to make it 2-1. Mark Avery's solo homer off Million in the second inning gave the Cannons a 1-0 lead.
LENGTH: Short : 40 linesby CNB