Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 15, 1995 TAG: 9505160035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Avalanche weathered five home runs, including a grand slam, to hold off the Wilmington Blue Rocks 9-8 in a Sunday matinee at Municipal Field.
``Not too often do you see somebody win doing that,'' said John Mizerock, Wilmington's manager. ''But we saw it today.''
The late-rolling Rocks whacked two of those home run's in the ninth, including Mike Sweeney's grand slam off faltering closer John Salamon. That was the second long ball off Salamon, who had started the ninth with a 9-3 lead and a fresh arm.
Bill Bliss came on to yield a walk and a single, but no more runs, and for that was credited with the save. The victory went to starter Doug Walls, who scattered six hits - among them three solo home runs - in seven innings.
``I knew the bullpen was going to do the job,'' said Walls (3-1). ``They have all year. I wasn't scared at all.''
Salem (20-17) won for the eighth time in 10 games, after coming into Sunday a game behind first-place Kinston in the Southern Division.
Wilmington (17-19) lost two of three in Salem, and the Blue Rocks league-leading pitching staff gave up 24 hits in the final two games.
``Our defense has improved and we haven't been kicking it around as much,'' said Bill Hayes, the Avalanche's manager. ''Then, we've had some guys making progress on the mound and at the plate.''
Nobody is making much more progress than Vincente Garcia, the Venezuelan second baseman who has gone 5-for-8 in the past two games to raise his average 14 points to .307. Garcia homered twice, doubled and drove in five runs as an audience of 1,062 relaxed under clearing skies.
Both home runs started the same way, Garcia said.
``Fastballs right down the middle. One ball, no strikes - fastball; one ball no strikes - fastball,'' he said. ``The double I hit was a screwball inside.''
The dingers were Garcia's fourth and fifth of the season. Between Garcia's bombs (in the first and third innings) came another off the bat of Mark Wells, his seventh of the season.
``I was looking fastball and he [Wilmington starter Ken Ray] just happened to throw it right where I was looking,'' Wells said.
Walls threw a few of those sorts of pitches. The homers were swatted by Sergio Nunez on the game's first pitch, Sweeney to lead off the fourth and Carlos Mendez with one out in the fifth. Sweeney had two homers, giving him four in 30 Carolina League at-bats.
``I didn't have good stuff,'' Walls said. ``I kept leaving the ball up, and you saw what happened. This victory goes to our offense.''
EXTRA BASES: Salem opens a four-game series at Frederick tonight with Scott Larock (2-1, 5.06 ERA) pitching against Keys Rachaad Stewart (2-2, 5.12). The trip continues with three games at Wilmington, before Salem returns to Municipal Field on May 22 for a game against Lynchburg. ... Injured left-hander Doug Million worked 10 minutes in the bullpen Sunday. ``He threw extremely well,'' said Bill Champion, the Avalanche's pitching coach. ... Forry Wells extended an 11-game hitting streak with an RBI single in the fourth.
NOTE: PLease see microfilm for scores.
by CNB