Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 28, 1990 TAG: 9005280084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Salem Buccaneers blew a five-run ninth-inning lead and a shutout with a couple of ugly errors before recovering in the 10th for a 6-5 Carolina League baseball victory over the Lynchburg Red Sox.
The most expensive of the Bucs' five errors was the potential double-play ball pitcher Steve Buckholz flung into center field as the second of the five runs came home in the ninth. To that point, he had a nine-hit shutout going.
"I threw a win right into center field, that's all I did," Buckholz said.
Reliever Jim Czajkowski came on and promptly yielded a run scoring sacrifice fly to make it 5-3. The next batter, designated hitter Willie Tatum, launched a home run to right field that tied the score.
After Tato Pratts, the second of three Red Sox pitchers, worked a 1-2-3 ninth, Czajkowski pitched a perfect 10th.
Pratts gave up a leadoff single to Rob Bailey then walked Greg Sims, who stole second. Bruce Schreiber popped up a bunt to a drawn-in third baseman for the first out.
That brought on reliever Rennie Scott, who induced Domingo Merejo into a flyout. Tim Hines, who earlier hit his third homer of the year, followed with a walk to load the bases. Scott then walked Darwin Pennye to end the game.
"I was glad we won the game," Buckholz said. "That would have been a bitter loss."
The way Salem (17-29) has been going, it would have been a loss it could ill-afford, Salem manager Stan Cliburn said.
"To lose one like that today, the way we've been struggling, could have had a carryover for the next 10 days," he said. "But Steve Buckholz pitched a heck of a game for us and we need that now.
"Unfortunately for him, though, he has to do his own fielding. He's had a history of having trouble with comebackers. But I'll forget all about that if he continues to pitch as he did today."
Buckholz struck out seven and gave up no walks while making a bid for what would have been Salem's second complete game of the year. Buckholz pitched the only complete game.
"It's hard to talk about the good stuff when you make a play like the one I made," said Buckholz, who twice Sunday misplayed potential double-play balls to the mound. "I don't know what it is. I had two today and two more like that last year. I'm not planting myself and taking my time."
Lynchburg (24-20) limited the Bucs to seven hits, but two of them were home runs. Ben Shelton crushed one over right-center wall with plenty of room to spare in the seventh off starter Pete Estrada.
\ BUCSHOTS: Salem will start left-hander Bobby Underwood when it opens a four-game set at the Southern Division-leading Frederick (Md.) Keys tonight. Underwood will be making his first start for the Bucs after having arrived last week from Augusta. LYNCHBURG SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Powers ss4010 Sims cf4002 Leach ph0001 Schreiber 3b5001 Byrd ss0000 Merejo dh4010 Tatum dh5132 Hines c4111 Blosser rf5010 Pennye lf4001 Williams c5000 Estep rf4000 Wallin 1b5010 Shelton 1b4111 Whitehead 3b5120 McNabb 2b3220 Monegro 2b4110 Bailey ss4220 Perejo lf4110 000 Rivers cf4100 000 Totals41 5 10 3 Totals 36 6 7 6
Lynchburg000 000 0050-5 Salem012 000 2001-6
E-Schreiber, Monegro, McNabb, Buckholz (2), Estep. DP- Salem 2. LOB-Lynchburg 7, Salem 3. 2B-Tatum, McNabb. HR-Hines (3), Shelton (8), Tatum (4). IP HRERBBSO Lynchburg Estrada 765321 Pratts, L-1-1 211111 Scott 00020 Salem Buckholz 894007 Czajkowski W-1-0 111102 WP-Pratts.
Umpires-Home, Smith; bases, Franek, Langley.
T-2:56. A-986.
by CNB