
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 25, 1995                   TAG: 9506260120
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: D-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

WRIGHT PITCHES SALEM TO VICTORY

Jamey Wright might want to contact his travel agent soon. He may be pitching himself into a promotion.

Wright turned in another stellar performance Saturday night, pitching a complete game four-hitter to lead the Salem Avalanche to a 2-1 Carolina League victory over Lynchburg.

The win was Salem's seventh straight overall and fourth straight to start the second half of the season. The Avalanche remain the only undefeated team in the league in the second half.

Wright (9-4) surrendered only one hit through his first 72/3 innings of work and gave up one run - Raul Rodarte's solo homer in the eighth - while walking three and striking out three. In his past 11 starts, Wright is 8-1 with two no-decisions.

The Avalanche (4-0) scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the eighth. Brian Culp reached base on an infield single that Lynchburg shortstop Lou Collier fielded cleanly, but threw wildly to first base for an error, allowing Culp to take second.

Kevin Tolar then came on in relief of Hillcats starter Ramon Morel and got Forry Wells to line softly to Collier for the second out. Edgard Velasquez followed with a single off reliever Craig Mattson to score Culp with an unearned run and give Salem a 2-0 lead.

Lynchburg (2-2), which has lost eight of nine to Salem this season, cut the lead to 2-1 in the eighth on Rodarte's homer and had two runners on base in the ninth, but Wright got Ramon Zapata to ground out to end the game. Morel (2-7) took the loss for the Hillcats, going 71/3 innings and giving up two runs - one earned - on eight hits while walking none and striking out six.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

Keywords:
BASEBALL

by CNB