Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 5, 1993 TAG: 9309050268
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This team, which has taken a boatload of blows to its self-esteem in a lost Carolina League season, restored some dignity by beating the Winston-Salem Spirits 4-2 to complete a season-ending three-game sweep of the Southern Division's second-half champions.
"It's good to go out on a positive note because it's been such an up-and-down season," outfielder Trace Ragland said.
Ragland had just cause for leaving in good cheer after making some headway against a longstanding problem. It was his opposite-field home run in the fourth inning that got the Bucs (30-40) on the scoreboard and began a rally that produced the last four runs of the game.
"The last two home runs I hit this year went to the opposite field," Ragland said. "I've been working on hitting the ball to the opposite field after Lit [Bucs manager Scott Little] told me I was pulling off too many balls. I had two strikes on me and I was just trying to make contact. I stayed back because I knew the guy [pitcher James Nix] had a good curve."
Ragland also saw to it that the Bucs had an insurance run in the seventh when his grounder to short scored Mike Brown.
Another Salem player who finished an inconsistent season on a positive note was starting pitcher Kevin Rychel, who has battled his control problems all year. Rychel made his second start of the season after scheduled starter Michel LaPlante was called up to Class AA Carolina.
The only control woes Rychel had were two wild pitches and a hit batter. Otherwise, he yielded four hits - one an infield bleeder - and struck out eight while walking none in five innings.
"I was excited about getting the start," he said. "It's the end of the year and I've had a few days off. I was feeling strong."
And looking strong with a fastball that frequently whizzed passed the radar gun at more than 90 mph.
"He gave us more than we wanted out of him," Little said. "He threw the heck out of the ball."
Troy Mooney hurled two shutout innings, and Dennis Konuszewski worked the last two innings to record his first save.
Bucs pitchers struck out 12 and gave up six hits.
Salem won five of its last six from Winston-Salem (39-31) by bouncing back from two runs down Saturday.
The Bucs took the lead in the fifth when Marcus Hanel led off by reaching on a two-base error by shortstop Ricky Gonzalez. Don Garvey followed with a single, before Jeff Conger reached on a bunt base hit. Kevin Polcovich tied the score with a sacrifice fly, then Garvey came in on an error by center fielder Tim Belk.
Rychel, Mooney and Konuszewski faced two batters more than the minimum in the last seven innings.
\ BUCSHOTS: Brown, who had two hits, was voted player of the year by the Bucs' fans. Brown was the team leader with 24 home runs and 70 RBI. . . . The Spirits' Motorboat Jones was out of the lineup with a sore right arm after being hit by a Doug Harrah pitch Friday. X-rays revealed no broken bones and he is listed as day-to-day as the Spirits prepare for the playoffs. . . . Salem's Marc Pisciotta should have been given credit for a save in the report of Salem's 2-1 victory in the first game of a doubleheader Friday. Pisciotta finished the season with 12 saves. . . . Salem's Ramon Espinosa was ejected in the fourth inning Saturday because of intemperate remarks to plate umpire Scott Stabler. . . . The Spirits' Bubba Smith was out of the lineup Saturday after serving a rare stint at first base for both games of Friday's doubleheader. Smith was chosen as the league's most valuable player. . . . Salem finished the year 32-28 against teams in the Southern Division and 20 games under .500 against Northern Division foes. . . . Winston-Salem shortstop Eric Owens, an all-league selection and a former Ferrum College standout, has been on the disabled list since Aug. 25. . . . Salem's Ken Bonifay, who finished the season with a .277 average, 18 home runs and 60 RBI went on the DL Aug. 3 and has not played since because of a bruised wrist. \
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB