
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 20, 1990                   TAG: 9006200195
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SPIRITS MOUNT RALLY, TURN BACK BUCS 7-4

In his last start, which also happened to be his first start, Winston-Salem pitcher Steve DiBartolomeo learned something about the mentality of starting a game instead of relieving.

Going against the Peninsula Pilots, DiBartolomeo struck out five of the first seven batters he faced, but "after six innings, I was dead tired," he said. DiBartolomeo got the victory, but he wasn't happy about his early exit.

Against the Salem Buccaneers on Tuesday night, DiBartolomeo didn't start as quickly, but he got stronger as the game progressed.

DiBartolomeo pitched a complete game and struck out 10 as the Spirits beat the Bucs 7-4 in Carolina League baseball at Municipal Field.

Salem led 4-2 after three innings, but DiBartolomeo (3-2) held the Bucs to four hits in the final six innings as the Spirits rallied.

"My slider was working really well, and I had excellent fastball command," said DiBartolomeo, who has seven saves. "I was able to move the fastball in and out for most of the game."

After Fernando Ramsey singled home John Jensen to pull Winston-Salem to 4-3 in the fourth, the Spirits took advantage of a Salem mistake to take the lead in the sixth.

With one out, Bucs starter Tim Wakefield (3-7) threw a third strike by Tracy Smith. But the pitch was wild and Smith reached first.

Ramsey then tripled to right field, driving home Smith with the tying run. Billy White scored Ramsey with a sacrifice fly that gave the Spirits a 5-4 lead. Winston-Salem sealed it with two runs in the eighth inning off reliever Jim Czajkowski.

Elvin Paulino and Kevin Roberson hit solo homers to give Winston-Salem a 2-0 lead, but the Bucs rallied for five hits and three runs in the bottom of the second against DiBartolomeo.

\ BUCSHOTS: Winston-Salem's victory was bittersweet, because the Kinston Indians beat the Frederick Keys 6-3 to clinch the Southern Division first-half title. The Bucs and Spirits will finish the first half today at 7 p.m. with Bobby Underwood (1-3) pitching for the Bucs and Bill Melvin (6-2) scheduled to start for the Spirits.

\ WINSTON-SALEM SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Williams dh2100 Sims cf5011 White ss4022 Schreiber 3b3010 Paulino 1b4112 Brewington 1b4111 Scott 3b5010 Hines dh4120 Roberson rf5111 Pennye lf4000 Jensen lf4110 Romero c4120 Taylor c5000 McNabb 2b4110 Smith 2b4100 Estep rf4022 Ramsey cf4232 Bailey ss4000 Totals37 7 9 7 Totals 36 4 10 4

Winston-Salem110 102 020-7 Salem031 000 000-4

E-Bailey 2, Jensen. LOB-Winston-Salem 9, Salem 6. 2B-Romero, Scott, Jensen. 3B-Ramsey, Estep. HR-Paulino (10), Roberson (5), Brewington (2). SB-Williams (6), White (6), Ramsey 2 (18). SF-White. IP HRERBBSO Winston-Salem DiBrtlomeo W, 3-2 9104409 Salem Wakefield L, 3-7 7755410 Czajkowski 222220

HBP-Hines by DiBartolomeo. WP-Wakefield, Czajkowski. PB-Romero.

Umpires-Home, Kraus; bases, Lehner, Irvin.

T-2:47. A-1,713.

by CNB