Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 3, 1994 TAG: 9405030111
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Salem Buccaneers were the beneficiaries of brilliant pitching from a committee of three and beat the Prince William Cannons 1-0 Monday night.
This from the worst team, by record, in the Carolina League. This in the the most infamous hitters' park in the league if not the low minors. This against a team that has been whacking the baseball with vigor all year. This in a break-out-the-stopwatches time of 2 hours, 11 minutes.
This is fact, as 1,033 eyewitnesses will testify.
The victory came together in the bottom of the eighth in a textbook study of playing for one run.
Ramon Zapata ripped a pitch from left-hander Jason Pierson, who had pitched splendidly, off the fence in left field to begin the decisive inning. Marcus Hanel, in a rare stint at designated hitter, then dropped a picturesque bunt to advance the runner.
Next was newcomer Richard Luna, the No. 9 batter who was 0-for-2 in his first start in Salem after batting .125 at Augusta. He walked as Zapata made the pitcher and Salem's manager, Trent Jewett, coaching at third, increasingly nervous by dancing around in a threatening manner.
At one point, Zapata almost broke for home on a pitch that careened into the dirt. At the last second, he changed his mind.
"The coach said, `Oh, my God! Take it easy,' " Zapata said.
"He scared the . . . out of me," Jewett said. "The guy in the stands thinks you have control out there, but by the time you say `stop' or `go,' it's too late."
Next up was switch-hitter Daryl Ratliff, who had two of the Bucs' three hits to that point batting right-handed. Cannons' manager Dave Huppert sent in right-hander Jason Watkins to face him.
"I think Ratliff's a better hitter from the right side," Huppert said. "I know he's a step closer to first base, but I thought we had a better chance to strike him out batting left-handed."
Ratliff's instructions from Jewett were straightforward.
"Make contact and run like hell," Ratliff said.
Make contact he did, with a hard shot to first base. First baseman Eddie Pearson threw to the plate, where Zapata was approaching in haste. The runner brushed past catcher Jack Johnson, a defensive replacement the previous inning. Johnson dropped the ball and Zapata overshot the plate, then scrambled back to tag.
"It was very close," Zapata said. "My foot kicked the ball out of his glove."
A flyout and groundout later, Salem's Marc Pisciotta came on to earn his sixth save, striking out two and stranding Pearson, who had banged a one-out double. Thus was delivered the victory to Rich Townsend, who had faced one batter in the eighth.
That was, in a way, unfortunate for Marc Wilkins, who had scattered four hits over 7 innings. Wilkins, though, didn't view the issue in that light.
"I don't care," he said. "I'm just glad we won. I could have gotten the loss if I'd stayed in there one batter longer. Who knows?"
Wilkins, a barrel-chested 5-foot-11, 200-pound right-hander who was a 47th-round draft choice in 1992, was making his 11th pro start.
"He pitched great against Prince William up there, and that's a very good team," Jewett said. "With his stuff, you aren't going to see him get knocked around much."
\ BUCSHOTS: Jeff Conger is ready to play again after recovering from a back problem, trainer Rod Lich said. . . . Infielder Raul Paez has a severely sprained ankle, but there is no word as yet about a replacement for him. . . . First baseman Jon Farrell, who has struggled all year at the plate, homered and had singled in his last four at bats. Farrell was the only player for either team Monday who had more than one hit. . . . Organization infield instructor Rocky Bridges is in town for the series.
by CNB