Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 2, 1994 TAG: 9408020119
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The most satisfying development for the tenants of Muncipal Field on Monday was the performance of Steve Parris, barely a year removed from reconstructive surgery on his pitching shoulder, who made the Durham Bulls feel a little green around the gills by shackling them with a seven-hitter over six innings of a 5-1 Carolina League victory in front of 1,709 admirers.
Parris, who has played for three organizations in one calendar year, now finds himself with a home in the Salem rotation after Matt Chamberlain (5-11, 5.79 earned run average) bids the team goodbye when he trots off for medical school at Louisiana State University at Shreveport later this week.
Chamberlain was accepted at med school late last month.
``I applied about six months ago and I've been filling out forms all summer long,'' he said. ``I hope to return to the Pirates late next season. They've told me it's going to hurt my [baseball] career, but this is the decision that I've made.''
Parris' go-round with the guys in white overcoats went a little differently than Chamberlain's promises to be. The right-handed Parris started the 1993 season with the Philadelphia Phillies organization at their Class AAA Scranton affiliate. Somewhere along the way he developed a sore shoulder and not too long after that was traded to Seattle and assigned to its AA club.
``But I never could pitch and rehab didn't work,'' he said.
Reconstructive surgery followed last August and soon after, Parris was without an employer.
``Nobody wanted to sign me until I was 100 percent,'' he said.
A scout for the Pirates worked him out this spring and liked what he saw. Pittsburgh took the leap of faith and signed him June 25.
After arriving in Salem, Parris went to the bullpen where his usual assignment was long relief. In 10 games, he went 1-1 with a 4.12 earned run average.
``It feels good to pitch again,'' he said.
It must have felt even better Monday against Durham, the Southern Division frontrunner (22-14) throughout the second half of the season. Parris did not walk a batter and struck out four.
``The arm feels good, real good,'' he said as he sat on the trainer's table bouncing his infant son Cole on his knee. ``Ask me tomorrow and I might say something else, but right now, it feels good.''
The victory for the Bucs (14-23) snapped a six-game losing streak, their longest of the campaign.
``I was impressed with Parris,'' Salem manager Trent Jewett said. ``He gave us a real shot in the arm.''
So did Jon Farrell, whose bat has suddenly become quite noisy. Farrell, who made a rare start in center field as the Bucs await the return of injured Jeff Conger, went 3-for-4 with two doubles and his eighth home run of the year. The homer was a solo shot that led off Salem's three-run sixth.
The Bulls should have held the Bucs to just that one run, but Damon Hollins in center dropped an over-the-shoulder chance off the bat of Jason Kendall with two out and two on. The result was a bases-clearing three-base error.
BUCSHOTS: Kendall was on base three times and also had an RBI double and a run scored. ... Ramon Zapata, at the top of the order, and Marcus Hanel, had two hits apiece. ... Durham's Robert Smith was dismissed in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes and was replaced at third base by former Pulaski Brave Nelson Paulino.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB