Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 25, 1990 TAG: 9007250330
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Bucs had five new players in the lineup for Tuesday night's Carolina League baseball game against the Frederick Keys, and for awhile it appeared things had changed for the better.
But just for awhile.
Midway through the game, the bumbling Bucs again reared their ugly heads and inducted the newcomers into their fold.
As a result, Frederick erased an early deficit and concluded its Bang the Bucs Slowly tour with a 12-3 demolition at Municipal Field.
The new-look Bucs played strikingly like the old-look Bucs as they extended their losing streak to a season-high eight games.
Salem staked starter Keith Richardson, just in from Class AA Harrisburg (Pa.), to a 3-0 lead after two innings, but he couldn't hold it. Richardson (0-1), who had seven starts in previous stints in Salem, lost for the first time as a Buccaneer.
The Keys (13-14) got a solo home run from Roy Gilbert in the third inning, then took the lead for good with a three-run fifth inning, aided by an error from new Bucs shortstop Willie Greene.
Greene, the Pittsburgh Pirates' first selection in the 1989 draft, went 2-for-4 in his Carolina League debut but booted his only fielding chance, a fifth-inning grounder by Gilbert that could have been an inning-ending double play. Moments later, Rick Gutierrez's two-run single put Frederick up 4-3.
Right fielder Domingo Merejo, back from Class AA Harrisburg, and two newcomers - catcher Felix Antigua and third baseman Austin Manahan, the Pirates' 1988 first selection - were a combined 0-for-11 at the plate.
Right-handed reliever Paul Wagner wasn't part of Monday's infusion of players, but he has been with the Bucs for only three days. Frederick, which had 17 hits, bombed Wagner for six hits and six earned runs in a seven-run eighth inning that put the game away.
With an 8-21 record, the Bucs' pulses are about flat. Still, ever-optimistic manager Stan Cliburn found light amidst the gloom.
"When you bring in that many new players, it'll be a couple games before things come together," Cliburn said. "I just hope it won't be too long before it does though. I liked some of the things I saw out there. I think we'll be all right."
\ BUCSHOTS: During the three-game series sweep, the Keys had 11 doubles and 17 extra base hits. Tim Holland had eight hits - five doubles, two home runs and a triple. . . . Salem shortstop Rob Bailey, who hit just .181 in 227 at-bats, was reassigned to Augusta. . . . Paul Miller (6-5, 2.78 ERA) will pitch tonight as Salem starts a six-game road trip through Kinston and Peninsula. The Bucs return to Municipal Field on Tuesday, July 31. FREDERICK SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Gilbert cf6441 Sims cf4001 Gutierrez ss5122 Schreiber 2b4121 Kingwood rf5133 Romero dh4020 Lehman dh5000 Merejo rf4000 Berthel lf5113 Antigua c4000 Richardson 1b5010 Greene ss4120 Horowitz c5110 Pennye lf4120 Holland 3b5232 Shelton 1b4011 Beasley 2b4220 Manahan 3b3000 Totals45 12 17 11 Totals 35 3 9 3
Frederick001 030 170-12 Salem120 000 000-3
E-Horowitz, Beasley, Merejo, Greene. DP-Frederick 1. LOB-Frederick 6, Salem 6. 2B-Pennye, Gilbert, Horowitz, Holland 2. HR-Schreiber (2), Holland (7), Gilbert (2), Berthel (3). SB-Kingwood 2 (7). IP HRERBBSO Frederick Bumgarner 253302 Mondile W, 3-3 530004 Riddle 210000 Salem Richardson L, 0-1 685427 Wagner 166600 Williams 131111 WP - Richardson.
Umpires-Home, Irvin; bases, Sweeney, Smith.
T-2:48. A-1164.
by CNB