Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508100087
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Now, if the Avalanche could score some more runs, the home fans would be happy.
The Frederick Keys scored twice in the seventh inning to break a tie at 1 to defeat the Avalanche, 3-1, Wednesday night in Carolina League action at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium. The Avalanche (23-22) has scored four runs in the first three games of the four-game series against the Keys.
Salem (23-22) beat Frederick in its first eight home games but has lost the past two to the visiting Keys (21-20). Salem dropped three games behind first-place Kinston, which defeated Winston-Salem 8-4 in 10 innings.
"We should be a little bit more fired up,'' Salem manager Bill Hayes said. ``We're in a new ballpark.''
An error late in the game hurt the Avalanche, just as it did in Tuesday night's 5-0 defeat sparked by four miscues in the last two innings.
In the seventh, with Salem pitcher Chris Stewart (0-2) relieving Joe Waldron, Frederick's David Lamb led off with a single to center field. Jesse Garcia grounded out to first baseman Colin Dixon, advancing Lamb to second. Trovin Valdez then bunted down the third baseline and beat the throw to first, putting runners at the corner.
Trying to manufacture a run as the Keys have tried the whole series, Valdez broke for second. Yohel Pozo fired the ball to second, but the throw went into center field, allowing Lamb to score and Valdez to advance to third.
The next batter, Roy Hodge, slapped a full-count pitch into right field to score Valdez for the game's final run. Jim Foster grounded to third base to end the inning.
Frederick had four runners thrown out on the bases Tuesday night and a runner picked off to end the third inning of Wednesday's game, but the Keys refused to sit still on the basepath.
"The more aggressive you are on the bases, the more you are going to make things happen," said Frederick coach Larry McCall. "If you run more, you make the other team defensive."
While Frederick relies on base stealing, Salem depends more on clutch hitting, something that hasn't happened the last two games. Salem had two on and no out in the fourth inning but failed to score.
"You can't afford to do that, particularly when you aren't scoring runs," said Hayes.
"[Forry] Wells could have made an out - just a fly ball to the outfield - and gotten the job done," Hayes said of the fourth inning situation when Wells struck out with one out and runners on the corners.
Ironically, the Avalanche's lone run came on a two-out, first-inning rally when Edgard Velasquez singled and Colin Dixon doubled him in.
Frederick tied the score on a fielder's choice by Jason LeCronier in the third.
Newly acquired Avalanche starter Jason Johnson, sent down from Class AA New Haven on Monday, had a short debut for the Avalanche.
Johnson was relieved by Waldron with two out and two on in the third inning.
Chris Nieto (1-2) pitched perfect innings in the sixth and seventh to get the victory for Frederick. Chris Lemp pitched the ninth, allowing one hit, to earn his 18th save.
NOTE: Plese see microfilm for scores.
by CNB