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

DATE: MONDAY, July 10, 1995                   TAG: 9507100128
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: WILMINGTON, DEL.                                LENGTH: Short

BLUE ROCKS TOP AVALANCHE

Oscar Jimenez went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Phil Grundy and two other relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Wilmington Blue Rocks downed the Salem Avalanche 4-1 on Sunday afternoon in the Carolina League.

Wilmington (11-7) jumped on Avalanche starter Brent Crowther (1-1) for three runs in the fifth inning. Carlos Mendez led off the inning with a single and Raul Gonzalez followed with a bunt single. Mendy Lopez' sacrifice put runners at second and third with one out, and then Jimenez hit a two-run single as the Blue Rocks scored for the first time in 18 1/3 innings.

Jimenez took second on the throw home as Salem tried to get Gonzalez at home and took third on a wild pitch. Jimenez scored on an RBI single by Donovan Delaney as Wilmington took a 3-0 lead.

Salem (12-6) cut the lead to 3-1 in the seventh off reliever Mark Evans. Forry Wells led off with a walk and stole second. Edgard Velasquez followed with a grounder to first baseman Mendez, who fielded it cleanly, but threw wildly to Mark Evans, who was covering first. Wells scored on the play to cut the lead to two.

The Blue Rocks answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Gonzalez doubled and pinch-runner Sergio Nunez went to third on a wild pitch. Jimenez garnered his third RBI with a single that scored Nunez with the game's final run.

Grundy (4-3) picked up the win, going six innings and giving up no runs on three hits while walking none and striking out six. Crowther took the loss, giving up all four runs on seven hits in 61/3 innings.

NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.

Keywords:
BASEBALL

by CNB