Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 22, 1995 TAG: 9505050011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Ray Brown socked a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday to help Winston-Salem defeat the Salem Avalanche 8-6 in Carolina League baseball.
Salem squandered a 6-0 lead and lost its seventh straight game.
Brown's homer, his first of the season, came against Avalanche reliever Curt Conley, a left-hander who came on to face the left-handed hitter. Brown parked the first offering to complete a comeback the Warthogs started by scoring four runs in the eighth inning.
Salem appeared to be in good position to end its losing streak when it took a 6-0 lead. Center fielder Edgard Velasquez cracked a two-run homer, his first of the season, in the first inning off Winston-Salem starter Chris Reed.
A two-run double by designated hitter Brian Culp was the big hit in a three-run second inning as the Avalanche forged a 5-0 lead. Right fielder John Giudice snapped an 0-for-17 streak with a solo homer in the fifth inning to make it 6-0.
That appeared to be all the support Salem starter Doug Million would need. Million went 5 2/3 innings, scattered three hits and struck out seven.
As has been the case recently, Salem's bullpen failed to hold the lead and errors cost the Avalanche dearly.
Shortstop Keith Grunewald booted a ball with two outs in the eighth inning that made it 6-2, and Brian Wilson followed that miscue with a two-run double to draw the Warthogs to 6-4.
Salem closer Barry Goldman got into trouble in the ninth, walking James Lofton and giving up a double to Donald Broach before intentionally walking Danny Clyburn to load the bases.
A grounder to second scored one run and put runners on first and third, setting up Brown's heroics one pitch later.
EXTRA BASES: The loss spoiled a second straight solid outing by Million, the No.1 draft choice of the Colorado Rockies in 1994. He struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings on Sunday against Prince William. ... Salem had three errors Friday. The team has played only one errorless game this season. ... Culp is tied for the team lead in RBI with 10 . ... Chris Sexton had two hits, raising his team-leading average to .400.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB