Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 21, 1993                   TAG: 9308210183
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BUCS WIN 3RD GAME IN A ROW

The Bucs won their third game in a row, beating Southern Division-leading Kinston 6-4 on Friday night with 4,149 on hand at Municipal Field.

Salem put it on the Indians with a wicked potion of solid pitching, big-play defense and timely hitting.

"As bad as this season has gone, I'm really happy with the way the guys have been playing," said manager Scott Little, whose Bucs have won five of seven. "They could have packed it in, but they haven't. When they go out to play, they may not play well, but they'll play hard."

Friday, they played hard and well, particularly defensively. Salem had no errors and turned three double plays, then saw catcher Marcus Hanel make a splendid pickoff throw to nail Marc Marini at first with the bases loaded to end the game.

"I was getting a little nervous there with the bases loaded and the No. 4 hitter [Pork Chop Pough] up," Little said.

Not to worry. Marc Pisciotta, who had given up two lightly struck hits, wriggled free for his eighth save since being recalled from Augusta of the South Atlantic League on July 17.

"It wasn't a panic situation; I was under control," Pisciotta said. "I was making my pitches where I wanted them. They get hits like that, there's nothing you can do. They both hit inside pitches where I wanted them. It happens. You hate it as a pitcher but love it as a hitter."

The Bucs led 3-0 after two innings, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Trace Ragland and a two-run homer by Don Garvey, the No. 9 hitter.

"I was working with [roving hitting instructor] Steve Henderson and I just did what I was told," said Garvey, who began the game batting .196. "I've worked on staying back and hitting the ball with all I've got, not just my hands. It worked one time in four."

Three more scored to give Salem a six-run lead in the fourth, Jeff Conger driving in a pair and Kevin Polcovich adding an RBI single.

Kinston bounced back with three runs against Bucs starter Michel LaPlante in the fifth. Paul Meade and John Cotton homered, Cotton with a man aboard. Hanel picked off Pat Maxwell at first to end that inning, too.

LaPlante's six-inning stint had to be considered quite effective. He finished with six strikeouts, which is a substantial number for a finesse pitcher such as the French Canadian.

Jason Christiansen pitched the seventh and eighth innings, giving up the first run in his last 21 innings. He gave way to Pisciotta in the ninth.

"I think Jason is tired," Little said. "He threw more curve balls than I've seen him throw in a long time."

Added pitching coach Dave Rajsich: "He's pitched 65 2/3 innings and in Class A baseball, that's a lot. But two runs in his last 22 innings? That's pretty good. We'll allow him to be human."

\ BUCSHOTS: Polcovich extended his hitting streak to 11 games with the single in the fourth. . . . Salem's Ramon Espinosa, who went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and a steal, is on a .378 (14-for-37) tear. He has three homers and seven RBI during that stretch. . . . With the victory, the Bucs moved 15 games under .500 (23-38) at Municipal Field. On the road, by contrast, Salem is 32-33. \

see microfilm for box score