Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 27, 1993 TAG: 9307270095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Mike Brown of the Salem Buccaneers beat Lynchburg's Doug Hecker in an extra-at-bat showdown for the home run derby crown Sunday, collected his $100 prize, then thanked heaven just to be able to bash with the big boys.
Brown was left out of the original field for the contest, apparently by mistake. The contest supposedly was open to the top three homer swatters from each division at the game.
"I don't know what was going on," Brown said.
Somebody pointed out Brown's omission to league officials and the big guy was inserted in the field at the last instant. The contest was amended so that the Southern Division could have four entries to the Northern's three.
Along with Brown (17 homers), the Southern Division was represented by Salem's Ken Bonifay (18), and Winston-Salem's Chad Mottola (14) and Cleveland Ladell (17). Aside from Hecker (17), the Northern Division representatives included Prince William's Tate Seefried (19), and Frederick's Alex Ochoa (11).
Hecker had three dingers in the requisite eight attempts before Brown came back to tie him with three prodigious shots, all pulled to right. Hecker didn't have another in the four extra at-bats to break the tie.
"Dan Norman [the Kinston coach who pitched in the contest] gave me some great pitches to hit," Brown said.
\ LEFT OUT: Winston-Salem slugger Bubba Smith (.308, 18 HR, 49 RBI) was not selected for the game at Winston-Salem's Ernie Shore Field and the locals were properly frosted.
Spirits manager Mark Berry didn't even attempt diplomacy.
"It's a joke," he said.
The only one who didn't seem to be all worked up about it was the big bopper himself. Bubba came to the game with his girlfriend. He looked casually at ease in shorts and a blue and red striped shirt and must have shaken five-zillion hands. May have even kissed a baby.
One disappointment was he couldn't watch the game in ease from the hammock he hangs in the pine trees above the clubhouse. Why not?
The branches are too thick and would have obstructed his view. He said he might have to cut them if he's in the league next year, which isn't likely.
\ HIT THIS, SUCKER: Esteban Loaiza, the Buccaneer who pitched a perfect third inning, kept things simple. Except for one changeup, he threw nothing but fastballs. The result was two groundouts and a popup to first.
\ BACK TO NORMAL: Ken Bonifay, the Buc who started at third base, came to the game with a sore hand and had missed the last two Salem games leading up to the All-Star game. He said he felt fine, but went 0-for-3, indicating that the slump he's been in lately may not yet have run its course.
\ JUST A JEST: Ron Johnson, the Wilmington manager who orchestrated the Northern Division to victory, said he and his team took the game very seriously. How seriously?
"We tried to hold down the player's beer drinking before the game to four or five," he said.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB