Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 11, 1994 TAG: 9407110161
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Kinston Indians were five runs in arrears before Sunday's Carolina League baseball game was a full inning old and that proved to be a disaster from which there was no recovering. The Bucs went on to claim a 10-5 victory as 1,720 supporters egged them on at Municipal Field.
"Tonight, we capitalized in the first inning; last night we didn't," Salem manager Trent Jewett said. "That was the difference."
The Bucs (8-11) left the sacks full in the first and never had another sniff of a big inning in a 3-0 loss in the series opener Saturday night. The Indians (9-10) were the ones left with an altered game plan Sunday as Salem sent 10 men to the plate in the first while racingwhen Salem raced to a 6-1 lead after sending 10 men to the plate in the first.
The Bucs swatted six base hits, including a three-run homer by Chance Sanford, a run-scoring triple by Jeff Conger, and and RBI double by Eddie Brooks, but only one of the six resulting runs were earned. That was thanks to an error at shortstop on Juan Andujar that should have ended the inning.
Andujar earned a bit of redemption in the fifth when he stroked a solo home run. Jon Nunnally jacked a bases empty job in the third. Both homers came off Salem starter Jason Abramavicius, who kept the mistake pitches to a minimum in five full inning of work.
"I knew from watching them last night that they were first pitch fastball hitters," said Abramavicius, a tall and lean left-hander. "I had good control with my changeup, and I was able to keep them off-balance with that."
Abramavicius was making his third start.
"He's not going to blow anybody away, but he'll get them out because he can throw three pitches for strikes," Salem pitching coach Dave Rajsich said. "Guys like him are good to have on a team because they show these guys with the big fastballs what's possible."
Abramavicius scattered five hits, walked two, and struck out six. Salem relievers Steve Parris, Jose Sosa, and Rich Townsend had two whiffs each to give Bucs hurlers 12 for the night.
The offense climbed back out of the glacier from which it had fallen into the previous night and sprayed around 11 hits. Dario Tena at the top of the order and Eddie Brooks at the bottom had three hits each. Brooks had a home run - his third - and two doubles, earning him three RBI.
"I got lucky and got some good pitches to hit," Brooks said. "We've been working in batting practice on going the opposite way and it paid off today."
Brooks hit 26 home runs his last two years at the University of Kentucky, but doesn't fancy himself a power hitter.
"I guess I have some pop with an aluminum bat, but not much," he said.
Whatever clout he has with a wooden bat is a fringe benefit because Brooks was hired for his glove at short.
"Any time you get three hits out of your No. 9 hole, then you usually have a pretty good night," Jewett said.
\ BUCSHOTS: Sanford added a run-scoring double in the fifth and ended with four RBI. "I realized that I haven't been keeping my head still the last three or four games," he said. "I've been working on that." . . . Organizational hitting instructor Ben Oglivie has been with the team of late and his guidance was cited by Jewett as a factor in improved fortunes for the Bucs at the plate. KINSTON SALEM ab r h bi ab r h bi Claudio cf4210 Tena rf5130 Nunnally rf4111 Cranford 3b5000 Thomas rf1000 Kendall c1100 Andujar ss3122 Secrist dh4111 Townsend 1b5020 Clyburn lf4200 Lantigua 3b5000 Sanford 2b3124 Neal 2b3120 Zapata ph1000 Meluskey dh4010 Farrell 1b4210 Soliz c4001 Conger cf3111 Hence lf4000 Brooks ss4133 Totals37 5 9 4 Totals 34 10 11 9
Kinston101 010 110-5 Salem600 021 01x-10
E-Andujar 2 (27), Ckaudio (4), Sanford (26), Brooks (11), Parris (1). DP-Kinston 1. LOB-Kinston 7, Salem 4. 2B-Neal (16), Brooks 2 (5), Sanford (20). 3B-Conger (3). HR-Nunnally (14), Andujar (5), sanford (9), Brooks (3. SB-Tena (9), Farrell (4). IP HRERBBSO Kinston DeLaRosa L, 0-3 478125 York 231112 Magee 111101 Salem Abramavicius W,2-3553226 Parris 221002 Sosa 111102 Townsend 110012
HBP - Claudio by Parris, Kendall by DeLaRosa. W-Magee, Sosa. PB-Soliz.
Umpires-Home, Kulpa; bases, Higgins.
T-2:44. A-1,720.
by CNB