Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 26, 1995 TAG: 9506260174
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Avalanche's season-high seven-game winning streak came to a harsh end as the Lynchburg Hillcats thrashed Salem 12-1 in a Carolina League baseball game at Municipal Field.
It was the first loss of the second half of the season for Salem (4-1), which still holds a half-game lead in the Southern Division standings over Kinston, which lost 7-4 to Prince William.
``Well, I'm not going to dwell on it,'' said Salem manager Bill Hayes. ``We'll try to start another streak tonight.''
The two teams play again tonight in the completion of a two-game mini-set that followed a pair of games in Lynchburg.
The things that allowed Salem (4-1) to embark on its winning streak - namely quality pitching and timely hitting - were not in evidence Sunday.
Lynchburg raked four Salem pitchers for 15 hits and scored 12 consecutive runs, including six in a ninth inning in which 10 Hillcats came to the plate.
The Avalanche did not score after a first-inning home run by Edgard Velasquez and was held to eight hits by three Lynchburg pitchers.
The Hillcats (3-2) won for only the second time in 10 outings against Salem.
``When you score 12 runs, you're supposed to win ballgames,'' said Hillcats manager Marc Hill. ``At least half the monkey's off our back with this [Salem] club. They've kicked our butts all year. They've got a good ballclub, a lot of talent.''
The first inning was the lone highlight for Salem. Lynchburg scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead. The Hillcats clubbed four hits in the inning off Salem starter Keith Barnes (4-5), including RBI doubles from Sergio Mendez and former Salem Buccaneer Jeff Conger.
Mendez made it 6-1 with a two-run homer in the sixth off reliever Jeff Sobkoviak, who let a couple of Barnes' runners score.
After Barnes came out with two on and one out in the sixth, Sobkoviak's wild pitch to Mendez allowed Rob Leary to score from third to make it 3-1. Mendez then ripped a fastball over the scoreboard.
``The three runs in the sixth inning were big,'' Hayes said. ``It was just a 3-1 game then.''
Barnes (4-5), who yielded a third-inning homer to Jay Knoblauh, gave up eight hits and was charged with five runs.
Lynchburg left-hander Matt Pontbriant (6-5), who had spent nearly two weeks on the disabled list, gave up one run on six hits. Jason Pfaff surrendered one hit in three innings of scoreless relief.
Salem reliever Bill Bliss took one for the team in the ninth, facing all 10 batters and giving up the six runs on two balks, a wild pitch, an infield hit, a double by Raul Rodarte, a triple by Knoblauh and Mike Daniel's two-run homer.
``This was a game we should have lost,'' said Salem hitting instructor Tony Torchia, ``and we did.''
EXTRA BASES: Avalanche outfielder John Giudice was placed on the disabled list with a torn rhomboid (upper-back) muscle. Giudice is expected to return to the lineup this week . ... To avoid conflicting with the opening of the Salem Fair, Friday's game against Winston-Salem will begin at 1 p.m. at Municipal Field. The starting time was moved up when it appeared the Avalanche would be in its new ballpark.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB