
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 12, 1995                   TAG: 9504120082
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: KINSTON, N. C.                                 LENGTH: Medium

WAIT PAYS OFF FOR AVALANCHE

MARK WELLS blasts his second homer and Forry Wells rips a two-run double as Salem beats Kinston.

Even a 30-minute delay before the game did not bother the Salem Avalanche.

Salem broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run fifth inning and went on to spoil the home opener for the Kinston Indians, 6-3. It was the Avalanche's second consecutive Carolina League win.

Salem, which had to wait before taking the field because of pregame festivities, trailed 1-0 in the top of the third inning before John Giudice scored from third on a ground ball by Nate Holdren. Holdren hit a two-hopper to the Kinston third baseman Gary Hagy, who tried to get Giudice at home. The throw arrived in plenty of time, but Giudice knocked the ball out of catcher Robin Harris' glove and scored the tying run.

Salem then broke open the game in the fifth off Kinston starter Jay Vaught when third baseman Forry Wells cracked a bases-loaded, two-run double to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead. Holdren went to third on the play, and after an intentional walk to Mark Wells one out later, Holdren scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Mike Higgins to give the Avalanche a 4-1 lead.

Kinston rallied in the sixth inning when James Betzsold smacked a two-run homer off righthander Bill Bliss to cut the Avalanche lead to 4-3.

Salem added some insurance runs in the ninth when Mark Wells hit his second homer of the year, a 400-foot, two-run drive off Travis Driskill. Giudice and Higgins paced a 13-hit Avalanche attack as Giudice went 2-for-5 with a single and double to go along with his two runs scored and a stolen base - the Avalanche's first of the year. Higgins got his first three hits of the season, going 3-for-4 with two singles, a double, and a sacrifice fly.

Bliss picked up the win in relief of starter Doug Million by giving up two runs on three hits in two innings. Mike Saipe got the save after allowing just two hits and striking out six in four innings.

see microfilm for box score

Keywords:
BASEBALL

by CNB