Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505110126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK BULLOCK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Avalanche failed to properly execute a bunt in the seventh inning with the score tied at 5. The Warthogs executed the same play to perfection in the eighth inning on the way to a five-run uprising that broke open the game.
As a result, the first-place Warthogs (18-14) gained a game on Salem (16-16) in the Southern Division standings. The game was the continuation of Tuesday's contest, which was suspended after the first inning by rain with Winston-Salem leading 2-0.
Wednesday's scheduled game was rained out, setting up a doubleheader of seven-inning games tonight beginning at 6 p.m.
The bunts were by no means the only defining moments of the game, but the winning team's success and the losing team's failure were significant to Salem manager Bill Hayes.
``Obviously we weren't meant to win that game,'' Hayes said after the Warthogs rapped 20 hits off six Avalanche pitchers and scored nine runs in the final two innings.
``But I would like to see us execute a little better in the bunt situation. If we move the runner over, and then get him home, who knows what might have happened.''
The Avalanche set up the play in question by overcoming a 4-1 deficit on solo home runs by Forry Wells and Chris Sexton and a pair of runs that scored on a balk and a wild pitch by Winston-Salem reliever Pete Magre.
Salem designated hitter Colin Dixon led off the seventh inning by drawing a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Keith Grunewald. The next batter, Brian Culp, was asked to bunt Grunewald to second base in hopes of getting the go-ahead run in scoring position. Culp failed on two attempts before bunting back to Warthogs pitcher Scott McKenzie, who whirled and threw Grunewald out at second. That thwarted any momentum the Avalanche was building, and the inning ended without the desired results.
In the Winston-Salem eighth, consecutive hits by Aaron Boone (who went 4-for-5) and Robbie Robertson (3-for-5) put Warthogs on first and second with no outs. Gilermo Garcia (3-for-4) dropped a bunt between the mound and third base that went for a hit, and Winston-Salem capitalized when James Lofton lined a single back through the middle that plated two runs.
With two outs, Pat Watkins belted a three-run homer that capped a big inning and made a loser of Salem reliever Scott Larock (2-1), who was roughed up for seven hits and five earned runs in two innings.
The Warthogs added five runs and four hits in the ninth inning to win going away.
``We just have to come back and win the first game [tonight],'' Hayes said.
EXTRA BASES: Salem right fielder Mark Wells broke a dubious streak of striking out at least once in 17 straight games. ... Brian Culp has a seven-game hitting streak. ... Forry Wells is 8-for-21 (.381) in his past eight games. ... The Avalanche will send Jamey Wright (3-3, 3.13 ERA) and Keith Barnes (2-1, 3.09) to the mound tonight.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for text.
by CNB