Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 29, 1993 TAG: 9304290272
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Bucs, whose bats have seemed as heavy as lead pipes lately, produced three runs against the Durham Bulls on Wednesday night at Municipal Field.
One was Ken Bonifay's second homer. That was followed by another solo shot, this one by Marty Neff, his sixth of the year, which tied him for the Carolina League lead. One at-bat later, previous league leader Jon Farrell launched a bomb over the center-field fence for his seventh. That was the second time in three nights Neff has caught Farrell and Farrell has gone back on top in his next at bat.
That was about it for the highlights. The homers put nary a dent in Durham, which rampaged to a 10-4 victory behind 15 hits.
In three nights in Salem, the Bulls have blasted 36 hits and scored 29 runs. The Bucs lost their fourth straight.
"It's frustrating," Salem manager Scott Little said. "I keep telling you and telling you that we have a good ballclub here, and I firmly believe that. But things aren't going well now."
Effective pitching might help, but Salem hasn't been getting much lately. Esteban Loaiza, the club's best starter to date, was sent to the clubhouse after 4 2/3 innings. Loaiza, who had a complete-game victory his last time out, was bruised for nine hits and six runs (four earned).
"My fastball was straight," he said. "My last two starts, the first two innings went great. Tonight . . ."
Salem (6-12) was down 9-2 after six and already had committed three errors. Bonifay, who's had 16 hits in his past 39 chances (.410), launched his homer in the bottom The Neff-Farrell long-ball revue came in the eighth.
\ BUCSHOTS: Salem's Kevin Rychel hit Ozzie Sanchez with a pitch in the seventh and Durham's Scott Ryder followed in the eighth by plunking Kevin Polcovich. Both benches were warned. In the eighth, Salem's Jim Martin bopped Vince Moore and was ejected with Little. Martin denied evil intent: "No way. It was a two-seamer that got away." \
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB