ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, July 6, 1996 TAG: 9607080072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C.
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
John Giudice hit a tie-breaking, two-run home run in the fifth inning to give the Salem Avalanche a 4-2 win over the Durham Bulls on Friday night and lift the Avalanche to a first-place tie with the Bulls in the Carolina League's Southern Division.
Hard-throwing Stephen Shoemaker earned his first victory with his best start of the season in front of 8,956 fans at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Shoemaker (1-2), who had been a reliever until a rash of injuries to starters forced him into the rotation, pitched a season-high 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on back-to-back homers to Miquel Correa and Sean Smith in the second inning.
Shoemaker, whose fastball is regularly clocked in the 90s, allowed two runs on three hits and struck out eight.
He and reliever Mike Kusiewicz combined on a four-hitter. Kusiewicz earned his first save with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He fanned four and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth by fanning Correa, then retired the Bulls in order in the ninth.
The score was tied 2-2 in the top of the fifth when Giudice followed Link Jarrett's single with his 15th homer, the most among active Carolina League players. Giudice's 53 RBI are third-most in the league
Durham (8-7) had taken a 2-0 lead on the back-to-back homers. Salem (8-7), which is 42-42 overall this season, tied the score in the fourth off Durham starter Del Mathews (2-1).
With the bases loaded and one out, Pookie Jones drove home Tal Light from third with a sacrifice fly. Chan Mayber followed with a two-out single - one of his three hits on the night - to score Chad Gambill with the tying run. Mike Higgins was thrown out at the plate on the play.
Jarrett and Gambill each had two hits for Salem.
Salem improved to 3-2 after five games of its 16-game road trip. The teams resume their three-game series tonight with Mike Vavrek pitching for Salem and Kevin Millwood on the mound for Durham.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines KEYWORDS: BASEBALLby CNB