ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 9, 1996 TAG: 9604090098
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
The rain fell in a steady mist, cold and bleak. The few hardy customers who ventured to Salem Memorial Stadium for the Salem Avalanche's home opener against the Wilmington Blue Rocks probably had many occasions to wish they had made other arrangements for entertainment Monday night.
It was, in short, a night ill-suited for baseball, as an announced crowd of only 1,847 attended.
From the perspective of Brent Crowther, Salem's tall right-handed pitcher, it was nothing he hadn't seen before.
``In Vancouver [British Columbia], where I'm from, it's either pouring rain or misting like it was tonight,'' he said. ``You can't play in pouring rain. This, you can play in.''
Untroubled by anything, least of all the Blue Rocks' bats, Crowther crushed the Rocks for seven innings, scattering a skimpy three hits and striking out eight as the Avalanche won 2-1.
Luis Colmenares, the 19-year-old Venezuelan closer for Salem, pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save, but he needed some help to record the last out of the eighth.
With a runner on third with no outs, designated hitter Carlos Mendez banged a drive into center that center fielder Ronnie Hall made a fine play on to end the threat.
``That was a game-saving catch,'' said Salem right-fielder John Giudice.
Colmenares then retired the side in order in the ninth.
Alejandro Prieto had brought Wilmington within one run with his two-out, run-scoring triple of Scott LaRock in the eighth to set the stage for Hall's heroics.
Brian Culp, Salem's designated hitter, plated both Avalanche runs. The first came in the third when he lashed an RBI double off the fence in left center. The second he brought home with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
The sixth, as it turned out, was what passed for a major uprising in this game. Hall had led off with a walk off Wilmington reliever Dustin Brixey, then advanced to third by Nate Holdren's double. Holdren reached base three of the four times he came to the plate, the first two times by bases on balls.
Then came Culp's long fly to center to score the run.
Crowther, meanwhile, had more work to do.
``Brent just goes out and does a very professional job,'' Salem manager Bill McGuire said. ``He's had his game face on since yesterday. He's always ready to go.''
As far as the Blue Rocks were concerned, they may have wished he'd gone earlier.
``We didn't make any headway with him,'' Wilmington manager John Mizerock said. ``Even if they had brought in somebody better than he was, it would have been better to see somebody new.''
Crowther said that both his fastball and his split-fingered pitch were cooperating with him.
``They couldn't do anything with it,'' he said.
Wilmington and Salem meet again today at 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN/Staff. Brent Crowther, Salem's startingby CNBpitcher, releases a pitch Monday night during the Avalanche's home
opener against Wilmington. The Avalanche won 2-1 at Memorial
Stadium. color.