ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 10, 1996 TAG: 9604100075
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
COLD TEMPERATURES force Salem to postpone its Tuesday night game against the Wilmington Blue Rocks.
The snow squalls they might have been able to live with. When the weatherman started talking temperatures, that's what commanded attention in the Salem Avalanche office Tuesday.
``They're talking about 15-degree wind chills,'' team owner Kelvin Bowles said. ``That's too cold.''
That was that for Tuesday's Carolina League game between Salem and the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The game will be made up today as part of a 6 p.m. doubleheader.
The first seven-inning game will pit Salem left-hander Mike Vavrek against Blue Rocks right-hander Brian Anderson. Avalanche right-hander Matt Pool draws his second start of the season in the nightcap and will face right-hander Phil Grundy.
It may have been a little too chilly and it was definitely a little too damp, but the Avalanche slogged on through the mist to stop the Blue Rocks 2-1 in the home opener Monday.
Given the choice of a toasty evening indoors or one spent in drippy Memorial, 1,847 customers cast their lot with the Avalanche. The paying public was spared another such choice Tuesday.
The postponement of the match was not widely mourned.
``I'd just worry about one of the kids getting hurt,'' Salem manager Bill McGuire said.
The young people he was referring to specifically were those in the employ of the Colorado Rockies organization. Let the Kansas City Royals fret about the well-being of their own trainees.
Wilmington has lost three of its first four. The Blue Rocks fell victim to the combined four-hit pitching of Brent Crowther, Scott LaRock, and Luis Colmenares. Manager John Mizerock was asked if he thought the weather had anything to do with it.
``We haven't hit for four days,'' he said, eyeing his team's .198 batting average. ``The weather probably had a little to do with it.''
LENGTH: Short : 46 linesby CNB