ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996 TAG: 9604090015
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WOODBRIDGE
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
It seems only fitting that a team named the Cannons come up with one mighty blast to put away an opponent.
Such was the case Friday night.
Rick Carone hit an RBI double off the center field wall with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning off Salem closer Luis Colmenares to drive in the winning run as the Prince William Cannons slipped past the Salem Avalanche 6-5 on Opening Night of the Carolina League baseball season.
Nate Holdren, who hit 15 home runs last season, had tied the score at five in the top of the ninth inning when he smacked a one-out solo homer to left center.
Salem (0-1) brought in Colmenares to pitch the ninth after reliever Scott LaRock had worked three innings of scoreless relief. Colmenares walked Jerry Whittaker to start the inning and Jason Evans sacrificed him to second, setting up Carone's heroics.
The Avalanche had taken a 4-1 lead in the top of the sixth off Prince William reliever Robert Thoedile. Holdren led off the inning with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. After Brian Culp walked, John Giudice moved the runners up with a sacrifice. Mike Higgins was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, bringing Steven Bernhardt to the plate.
Bernhardt hit a fly to right field that Sandy McKinnon dropped, allowing Holdren and Culp to score for the three-run lead. Kyle Houser and Elvis Pena each grounded out to end the inning.
McKinnon, though, started a Prince William uprising with a leadoff double in the sixth inning off Salem starter Matt Pool, who had retired 11 straight to that point and had struck out the side in the fifth.
Brandon Moore followed with a bunt single to put runners at the corners and Dan Kopriva walked to load the bases. Juan Thomas, who hit 26 home runs last season with the Cannons, hit the first offering from Pool over the left center field wall to give the Cannons a 5-4 lead.
The Avalanche let a golden opportunity get away in the eighth inning. Higgins and Bernhardt each walked to start the inning and moved up on a double steal, putting runners at second and third with no outs.
Houser popped up for the first out and Pena was intentionally walked to load the bases. Pookie Jones hit into a double play to end the rally.
Salem took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Chris Clemons on an RBI single by Culp, but Prince William answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning when Moore scored on a wild pitch.
Salem then took a 2-1 lead when Higgins smacked an opposite field solo homer off Clemons to lead off the second inning.
Curtis Broome (1-0) got the win in relief, going two innings and giving up one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out one.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 linesby CNB