Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 14, 1993 TAG: 9304140313
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BUCS START SLOWLY AT HOME
It was a happy ending waiting to happen until the Wilmington Blue Rocks plucked it away and tossed it aside.The Salem Buccaneers seemed to have it all for their Municipal Field opener Tuesday: 3,639 adoring baseball fans, delightfully warm weather, an eighth-inning rally and big man Jeff McCurry on the mound in the ninth trying to strong-arm his way to his third save in as many chances.
However, the Rocks were in no mood to participate in any fairy tales in which they weren't the heroes. A bases-loaded single by Darren Burton, who is rated as one of the top prospects in the Kansas City Royals' chain, sparked a five-run ninth and Wilmington (Del.) steamed to an 8-4 Carolina League victory, their fourth in five starts.
"We had it right where we wanted it, but it didn't work out for us," Bucs manager Scott Little said.
The Bucs were in such splendid shape thanks to Jeff Conger's leadoff home run in the eighth, his first of the season and Salem's third solo shot of the game. That snapped a 3-3 tie.
Roger Landress, the second of three Wilmington pitchers, then struck out the side.
McCurry immediately got off to a shaky start by yielding a leadoff single to Paul Gonzalez in advance of a walk to Steve Hinton. The next batter, Tom Smith, approached Rocks manager Ron Johnson with an idea.
"The kid wanted to lay [a bunt] down and, if he thinks he can do it in that situation, I told him to go ahead," Johnson said. "But then the count went to two-and-one and I told him to hit away."
McCurry, however, recovered to strike him out looking, which set the stage for pinch hitter Pat Dando, hitless in three previous at-bats this season. Dando singled to left.
"To me, that was the most important hit of the game," Johnson said. "He was with me last year [at Baseball City of the Florida State League] and he's always impressed me by his ability to sit, then come in ready to go. I couldn't do it."
Burton got things going before Shane Halter's double drove in two more. One out later, Edgardo Caraballo, another of the Royals' prize prospects, doubled to clear the bases.
Little's faith in McCurry was unshaken.
"That kid's going to keep getting the ball in save situations," he said. "We have a great deal of confidence in him."
Reliever Chris Eddy shut down the Bucs in the ninth for his first save.
Salem had nine hits, but all the runs came with the long ball. Marty Neff, who came in batting .143, hit solo homers in the fourth and the sixth innings off Rocks starter Brian Harrison.
"On the first one, he was trying to go inside and made a mistake and hung it out over the plate," Neff said. "The next one, I thought he'd try a curve or slider. He hung it inside and I got lucky."
\ BUCSHOTS: Bucs third baseman Rich Juday is 1-for-12 for the year, but scored his first run when he reached on an error by the Rocks' Michael Tucker and then came home on a tough slide that jarred the ball loose from catcher Chad Strickland. . . . Tucker, the United States Olympian from Longwood College, was playing in only his fifth pro game, but he homered, singled and stole a base. He also was caught stealing. . . . Mariano De los Santos, the Bucs' starter, gave up three runs and four hits in 5 innings. This is his first legitimate shot as a starter after being a stopper last year in Augusta.
\ see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASEBALL