Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 24, 1995 TAG: 9508240092
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
First, the good news. Starting pitcher Doug Million and relievers Scott LaRock and Chris Stewart combined for a one-hitter.
Now, the bad news. Salem still lost to the Wilmington Blue Rocks 2-1 in Carolina League action in front of a crowd of 2,693 at Memorial Stadium .
The Blue Rocks (42-18) parlayed one hit, three walks and a two-base error into two runs in the fourth inning. Wilmington starter Glendon Rusch (13-7) and relievers Toby Smith and John Dickens made the two runs stand.
"It was just a fortunate night," said Rusch, who allowed one run and four hits in seven innings. "We squeezed in a couple of runs and they only got one."
Wednesday's game could go into the history book next to an infamous Salem contest 20 years ago.
On April 11th, 1975, Rod Scurry and Chet Gunter combined for a no-hitter but Salem lost 1-0 to Lynchburg.
Trailing 1-0 starting the fourth, Wilmington's Raul Gonzalez reached on a two-base throwing error by third baseman Steven Bernhardt. Gonzalez then advanced to third on a groundout by Carlos Mendez. Ramy Brooks followed with a walk.
Then came probably the most crucial moment of the game.
Mendy Lopez hit a deep fly to left field. Brian Culp went back to the warning track and gloved the ball. However, his momentum took him crashing into the wall and he dropped the ball. So instead of having one runner score with another on and two outs, Gonzalez scored and runners advanced to first and second.
"It should have been a no-hitter," Culp said. "I caught it but my glove hit the wall hard and it just kind of trickled out of there."
Oscar Jimenez followed with a strikeout which would have ended the inning. Instead, the next two batters, Donovan Delaney and Julio Montilla, walked, forcing home Brooks with the winning run. Anthony Medrano grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
"Weird," was how Montilla explained the inning through an English-speaking teammate. "The pitcher was out of control so I just waited."
Despite being disturbed by the result, Million (4-6) offered a different outlook on the game.
"I was lucky," Million said. "With six walks and two hit-batsmen, they could have capitalized."
Salem's (28-31) defense prevented the Blue Rocks from causing further damage.
In the third, after a one-out walk and a hit-batsman, Million induced Mike Sweeney to end the inning with a 6-4-3 double play. Sweeney, Tuesday night's offensive star with two home runs and five RBI, went 0-for-2 with two walks Wednesday.
In the eighth with LaRock on the mound, Bernhardt made a diving stop toward the line, got up and threw out Gonzalez at first base to lead off the inning.
An inning later with Stewart in the game, Yohel Pozo threw out consecutive Wilmington runners trying to steal second.
But while the defense was there, Million certainly could have used some run support.
Bernhardt led off the third with a double off the right-field wall, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Pozo and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris Sexton. But that was it.
After a leadoff single by Culp in the fifth, Rusch retired the last nine he faced. Toby Smith pitched the eighth and John Dickens worked out of a two-out, two-on jam in the ninth to earn his ninth save.
Kinston defeated Durham 7-1 Wednesday, dropping the Avalanche 3 1/2 games behind the front-running Indians in the Southern Division pennant race.
NOTES: The Blue Rocks and Avalanche complete their four-game series and the homestand with a 7 p.m. contest today. Right-hander Phil Grundy (6-6, 3.40) takes the mound for Wilmington and right-hander Jamey Wright (10-7, 2.34) starts for Salem ... Salem's game Sept.1 against Lynchburg has been pushed up an hour to 6 p.m. The Avalanche moved the starting time to avoid congestion with the Salem High-R.E. Lee Staunton football game at Salem Stadium at 8 p.m.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB