Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 3, 1994 TAG: 9408040028
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The atmosphere surrounding Municipal Field on Tuesday nightwas heavy as a load of laundry awaiting a good wringing out.
Soupy as the air was, nothing hindered some of the baseballs utilized therein from behaving like Mexican jumping beans.
The Salem Buccaneers smote three home runs - exceeding the total of the Durham Bulls by one - on the way to a 6-4 Carolina League victory.
The Bucs (15-23) took their second straight from the Bulls (22-15), thus shaving the Southern Division-leading lead of the Bulls to 71/2 games over last-place Salem.
Regarding the long balls, there seemed to be a consensus among the participants:
"No cheapies there," Salem manager Trent Jewett said.
"Not a cheap one in the bunch," Durham skipper Matt West offered. "Give them credit."
The Bulls slugged three doubles and a triple to go along with solo homers by Juan Williams in the second and Miguel Correa in the eighth. It was the one hit that Durham didn't get that likely cost it the game, though.
With Salem leading 4-3 in the fifth, Durham's Mike Warner led off with a triple into the hole in right center. Man on third, none out. Among the oldest of baseball's laws decrees that the offense must deliver a run given such an opening.
Warner remained on third as though he were freeze-dried in his tracks.
Salem starter Dave Doorneweerd coaxed a dribbler to the mound out of Robert Smith as Warner held fast, then struck out Hector Roa and Raymond Nunez to end the menace.
"The key to the game was when they had that man on third with none out and us leading by a run and they didn't score," Salem pitching coach Dave Rajsich said.
The commanding officer from the opposing camp saw in the stranded runner the continuation of a disturbing pattern.
"We have not been executing the fundamentals as well lately as we did two weeks ago," West said.
Discussion of the fundamentals takes on less urgency when various participants are taking bat to baseball with the vigor of ancient cave dwellers subduing their supper with a club. That's what happened when Jason Kendall tied the score in the third with a leadoff homer and Danny Clyburn put the Bucs up for good with another screamer one out later.
"It was a 2-0 pitch I hit," said Kendall, who continued his contributions by going 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base. "I told myself that if it wasn't a fastball, I wasn't going to hit it."
Durham pitcher Mike Place didn't take the hint. A heater was what he offered Clyburn on the first pitch.
"A fastball high," Clyburn said, "and I got a good cut at it."
Absolutely. Municipal Field patrons (there were 3,662 on hand) have come to expect some well-struck balls from Clyburn and he has cooperated by smashing a team-leading 17 circuit shots.
A more sedate rally was on display in the fifth when the Bucs padded their advantage with a hit, a bunt single, a wild pitch that delivered the first run, and a sacrifice fly from Jay Cranford that brought in the second run.
Correa closed the gap to two runs with a two-out homer in the eighth off reliever Terry Farrar, but Farrar responded by striking out Williams. Sean Evans worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save.
by CNB