Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 22, 1995 TAG: 9506220079
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Avalanche's 6-5 Carolina League victory over the Bulls did not come down to a final at-bat in the bottom of the ninth, but it was decided with two out as Salem scored five of its runs with two-out rallies in the first and fifth innings.
The Avalanche won with two-out lightning of the three-run variety in the fifth, and relievers Scott LaRock and Bill Bliss held Durham scoreless for the final four innings.
``My high school coach used to say that two-out hits win ballgames,'' said Salem left fielder Brian Culp.
Culp made sure of that with a couple of two-out doubles that plated three runs for the Avalanche, which has tied together the first and second halves of the Carolina League schedule with five consecutive victories.
Culp was not alone in his clutch heroics. He was preceded in the lineup by Edgard Velasquez, who was 3-for-4 and singled in front of Culp's doubles, and followed by big Nate Holdren, who singled home Culp in the first and doubled him home with the go-ahead run in the fifth.
Velasquez, Culp and Holdren - Salem's Nos.3-5 hitters - were a combined 7-for-11 with five RBI and four runs scored.
``They got the big hits all night long,'' said Bill Hayes, the Avalanche's manager.
Their production was cause for gratitude from starter Matt Pool (6-5), who labored for five innings and picked up the victory after giving up six hits and five runs while striking out six.
The Avalanche didn't score after getting the lead in the fifth, but it didn't have to score. LaRock, who has pitched effectively as a setup man for Bliss and Matt Aminoff, tossed three hitless innings and struck out four before Bliss earned his fourth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Salem trailed 1-0 after former Ray Nunez doubled home a run in the first, prompting Salem to mount its first rally. With two out in the first, Velasquez singled, Culp doubled him home and Holdren followed with an RBI hit to make it 2-1.
``[Hitting instructor] Tony Torchia has talked to us about situational hitting,'' said Culp, who has hit in seven consecutive games. ``He says it never comes down to one at-bat. You do your job, then the weight's off your shoulders. He clears the mind of all the hitters.''
Steve Bernhardt's foul-ball sacrifice fly scored Keith Grunewald to make it 3-1 Avalanche in the second. Pool surrendered a two-run homer to Danny Magee in the third that tied the score, then was touched for a solo blast by Kevin Webb in the fourth to make it 4-3. Nunez doubled home a run in the fifth to make it 5-3.
Bernhardt led off Salem's fifth with a single off Durham starter Ryan Jacobs (2-3), who retired Chris Sexton and Vincente Garcia. Velasquez moved Bernhardt to second with a single, then Culp roped a double off the wall in right-center to tie the score at 5. Holdren made it 6-5 by sending a 3-1 Jacobs fastball to the right-center gap for a double.
``When you're ahead in the count like that, you look for something to hit hard,'' said Holdren, who also has a seven-game hitting streak. ``I was fortunate to get it. It was the pitch I was looking for.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB