Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 17, 1993 TAG: 9307170237
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Center fielder Ramon Espinosa, a recent arrival from Augusta, will require no introductions after the way he's been playing of late.
Espinosa's two-run, two-out double rallied the Bucs in the sixth inning and Salem went on to an 8-5, come-from-behind victory over the Winston-Salem Spirits on Friday night in front of 6,136 onlookers, the season's biggest showing at Municipal Field.
Espinosa went 2-for-4, leaving him 4-for-7 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI while batting in the ninth slot the past two games.
"After a little time here, I'm feeling more comfortable," said Espinosa, who played in his 12th game for Salem.
Espinosa's most recent contributions came with the score 3-3 in the sixth. The Bucs had been down 3-0 before Ken Bonifay's two-run homer in the fourth and an RBI single by leadoff man Jeff Conger in the fifth tied the score.
With the bases loaded, Espinosa worked the count to 3-0 on starter Dave Tuttle.
"I was waiting for a fastball," Espinosa said. "He threw one outside and I let that one go for a strike. Then he came with the fastball away again and I was ready for it."
Another run scored when Spirits right fielder Chad Mottola misplayed Espinosa's slicer down the line.
Two more runs padded the Salem lead in the seventh. Mike Brown's fielder's-choice grounder brought in one run, and Trace Ragland singled in another.
Troy Mooney made his first start for the Bucs, an unscheduled one because of the illness of planned starter Michel LaPlante. Mooney gave up three home runs, including back-to-back jobs in the sixth by Bubba Smith (his 15th) and Micah Franklin.
"He did a heck of a job considering that the only times he's pitched this year it's been against rookie-league players," Salem manager Scott Little said. "That was the best hitting team in the Carolina League tonight, and he did a good job with them."
Salem relievers Dennis Konuszewski, Jason Christiansen and Jeff McCurry pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings. Konuszewski struck out four of the five batters he faced. Christiansen worked a perfect eighth, then McCurry came in for 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 22nd save, his last official act as a Buc. Today, he will be moving up to Class AA Carolina.
\ BUCSHOTS: Salem will be getting right-hander Marc Pisciotta (5-2, 2.68 ERA, 12 saves), the Augusta closer, to replace McCurry. . . . In addition to LaPlante, who may miss two starts after visiting the hospital Thursday with food poisoning, Jon Farrell has been ill for four days and Chance Sanford is day-to-day with a deep thigh bruise.
\ see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB