Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 6, 1994 TAG: 9405060065
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Salem Buccaneers held on for a 9-7 Carolina League victory over the Prince William Cannons that represented what more than one of the 817 customers on hand Thursday night already knew.
It was the first series the Bucs (11-17) had won at home all year.
"It's about time," said Trent Jewett, Salem's manager.
The Bucs won for the fourth time in six outings (three of four from Prince William) despite almost spitting the bit after leading 9-1. As is often said at Municipal Field, no lead is safe.
Prince William (14-14) made it interesting with a five-run seventh inning that produced the final margin. The big blows were Craig Wilson's bases-loaded run-scoring single off faltering Manuel Santana and Jimmy Hurst's grand slam off Matt Ruebel, Santana's successor.
"With the bases loaded in this place, anything can fly out," Bucs leadoff man Daryl Ratliff said. "And it did."
Ruebel retired the last two to extricate the Bucs from that jam, but from then on, the proceedings had a decided edge to them.
Big John Ericks, all 6 feet 7 and 255 pounds of him, settled that by pitching two scoreless innings to pick up his first save. After Jon Farrell's error at first base and a walk to Hurst put two on with two out, Jewett visited the mound for a chat.
"There was no doubt what I was trying to do there," the manager said. "I was just trying to give Ericks a little breather. He looked fine to me and he was staying in there."
The Bucs got another cool-headed and efficient outing from starter Gary Wilson (3-1). Wilson went six innings, giving up two runs on six hits, striking out three and walking none.
"Wilson's a good guy to have on your team," Jewett said. "He'll go out there and throw strikes and stay in there as long as you want. He was [angry] when I took him out. That's what you want to see."
Salem's Danny Clyburn raised his batting average 16 points to .311 by going 2-for-3 with a rocket of a line-drive home run in the second and three runs scored.
"It's coming around now," he said. "I want to keep it up every day, though."
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB