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

DATE: THURSDAY, April 20, 1995                   TAG: 9504200100
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARK BULLOCK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

KINSTON BLOWS PAST AVALANCHE

Not to suggest that Salem Avalanche pitching has been mediocre lately, but the Kinston Indians have more hits in the past two games than they had in batting practice last week.

The Indians raked three Salem pitchers for 16 hits Wednesday night in their second straight blowout victory over the Avalanche, a 10-1 laugher. Coupled with Tuesday night's 15-2 hammering, Kinston has 33 hits in the past two games. Left fielder Bruce Aven has gone 9-for-14 in the series, which concludes tonight.

Half of Kinston's hits Wednesday went for extra bases, with first baseman Richie Sexson, center fielder Rick Prieto and third baseman Todd Betts connecting for home runs.

Salem, meanwhile, went quietly, managing only one hit and two baserunners after the third inning. The Avalanche had just four hits and got its only run when center fielder Edgard Velasquez singled home Vincente Garcia in the second inning.

That was the only blip on an otherwise solid pitching performance by Kinston starter Rick Heiserman (1-1), who went eight innings, struck out six and walked one. He allowed only one runner to advance past first base after the second inning and retired the Avalanche in order in the fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

``We're just not getting much done, offensively or defensively,'' said Salem manager Bill Hayes after watching his team lose its fifth straight.

Hayes was ejected in the fifth inning along with Salem catcher Mike Higgins for engaging in a heated argument with umpire Dan Iassogna after a close play at first on which Higgins was called out. Higgins said something while making his way back to the dugout that Iassogna didn't appreciate, and Hayes was tossed for continuing to argue after Higgins had been ejected.

Kinston took a 4-0 lead in the second inning off Salem starter Jamey Wright (1-2) by scoring all its runs with two outs. Greg Thomas had a two-run single and Prieto followed with a two-run homer. Wright gave up eight hits and five runs in four innings.

``We're getting some balls up and they're hitting them,'' Hayes said of Salem's recent pitching woes. ``We get a couple of strikes, or a couple of outs, and we can't seem to put them away.''

In the seventh inning, Kinston put the Avalanche away by adding four runs, two on Sexson's homer over the scoreboard in left-center. Three straight doubles accounted for the other runs.

EXTRA BASES: Kinston has won five straight on the road. ... Carolina League president John Hopkins was in attendance Wednesday. ... Aven with three hits raised his average to .298, which is 100 points higher than when he arrived in Salem. ... Keith Barnes (0-0, 5.87 ERA) pitches for Salem tonight against Bartolo Colon (2-0, 0.69).

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

by CNB