Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9505020063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK BULLOCK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Jamey Wright pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, Vincente Garcia hit a three-run home run and Bill Bliss extinguished a ninth-inning uprising as the Salem Avalanche beat Frederick 7-4 in a Carolina League game at Municipal Field.
Wright, a former first-round draft choice of the parent Colorado Rockies, had his best outing of the season. He cruised through the first four innings, facing only one batter over the minimum. In the fifth, Wright (2-3) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out Frederick designated hitter Wes Hawkins and getting Trovin Valdez on a groundout to end the inning.
``I feel a lot more confident'' about pitching in Municipal Field, Wright said. ``I decided to stop worrying about the [short] fences and just go out there and pitch my game.''
The strategy worked. Wright challenged the hitters and settled down after walking two batters in the first inning. Both runners were thrown out by catcher Mike Higgins, who caught David Lamb trying to steal and picked off Sean Hugo at first after he had strayed too far from the base.
Wright was given a 2-0 lead in the second inning when the Avalanche took advantage of four hits and a throwing error, and Garcia provided the big blow when he jumped on a Rachaad Stewart fastball and drove it over the left-field wall for a three-run homer in the fifth.
``That was some clutch hitting,'' Salem manager Bill Hayes said. ``That opened it up a little.''
The Salem second baseman entered the game batting .300 and has been hitting the ball with authority.
``I've been working hard every day and feel everything is good,'' Garcia said.
Another guy who's feeling good is Bliss, who was summoned from the bullpen to bail out Matt Aminoff in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. Bliss struck out Frederick's fourth and fifth hitters, Tommy Davis and Chris Kirgan, before inducing a soft roller back to the mound to end the game.
Aminoff, in his first appearance for the Avalanche since coming from Class AA New Haven (Conn.), surrendered a home run to Davis on his first pitch after entering the game in the eighth inning. In the ninth, he hit two batters, walked two and gave up a hit before Bliss came to the rescue.
``They were looking for strikes and a ground ball [from me],'' Bliss said. ``My job was to throw strikes.''
That sounds simple enough, but relief pitching has been inconsistent for the Avalanche thus far. Hayes was pleased with what he got from Bliss.
``He knows how to pitch,'' the manager said. ``He didn't try to challenge the hitters and used his off-speed stuff to get out of it. He came in and did a good job with the game on the line.''
EXTRA BASES: Salem first baseman Nate Holdren snapped out of a slump by going 3-for-3 and reaching base four times. ... The teams conclude their three-game series this afternoon at 3 p.m. Lefty Keith Barnes (1-1) will pitch for Salem against Calvin Maduro (0-0).
NOTE: Please see microfilom for scores.
by CNB