Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 18, 1990 TAG: 9004180318 SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Buckholz and Pomeranz ignored near-freezing temperatures and gusty winds to combine for a two-hitter as the Salem Buccaneers defeated the Frederick Keys 6-1 in Carolina League baseball.
Center fielder Greg Sims led off the game with a home run and shortstop Mike Huyler had two hits and three RBI as the Bucs ran their record to 5-1. They had lost their first game to the Keys 8-4 Monday night to break a four-game winning streak.
"Anytime you win it feels better," Buckholz said. "But right now, no one in our locker room is thinking about how cold it was. We're just glad to back on the winning track."
Buckholz worked six innings, giving up two hits and striking out seven to record his second win in as many starts. The only time he faltered was in the fifth, when Frederick scored its only run after Buckholz loaded the bases and walked in a run.
"I'd been out there so long, I didn't have any feeling in my touch," Buckholz said. "A couple of times the wind felt like it was going to blow me off the mound."
He warmed up long enough to set the Keys down in order in the sixth, then Pomeranz took over.
With the Bucs leading 4-1, Pomeranz, acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates in a trade with the Minnesota Twins two weeks ago, didn't give Frederick (4-2) an opportunity to even think about a rally. He breezed through the final nine batters for his first save.
"That's what they brought me here for, to be a set up man or pitch short relief," said Pomeranz, assigned to the Bucs just before it they broke from spring training. "I like to think of the trade as a fresh start. I feel lucky to be part of an organization that wants me."
Sims' homer had Salem up 1-0 after the first inning. Then consecutive hits by Domingo Merejo, Huyler, Robert Bailey and Sims resulted in a three-run second inning that provided Buckholz and Pomeranz with more than enough cushion.
\ BUCSHOTS: Sims, who hit .529 with six RBI and three runs scored in the the Bucs' first four games, was selected the Carolina League batter of the week. Frederick starter Arthur Rhodes, who pitched gave up one hit in seven innings in the Keys' season-opening win against Lynchburg, was pitcher of the week. The Bucs touched him for four runs on five hits in 1 innings Tuesday. FREDERICK SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Gilbert cf4010 Sims cf4122 Richardson 1b1010 Schreiber 3b5010 Beasly 2b1000 Pennye lf4010 Holland dh3001 Raisanen dh3000 Shamburg 3b4000 Romero c4110 Hedge rf4000 Shelton 1b3110 Lehman c3000 Merejo rf3110 Gutierrez ss3100 Huyler ss4123 Hayden lf3000 Bailey 2b3110 Hildreth 2b3000 Totals29 1 2 1 Totals 33 6 10 5
Frederick000 010 000-1 Salem130 000 02x-6
E-Hedge. LOB-Salem 7, Frederick 6. 2B-Sims. 3B-Merejo. HR-Sims (1). SB-Pennye (1). IP HRERBBSO Frederick Rhodes L,1-1 154410 Stephan 530008 Slomkowski 122230 Salem Buckholz W,2-0 721157 Pomeranz S,1 200003
WP-Stephan. Balk-Buckholz.
Umpires-Home, York; bases, Barket.
T-2:27. A-753.
by CNB