ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 4, 1996 TAG: 9605060128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
SALEM WINS for the eighth time in 10 games, beating Lynchburg 6-3 in Carolina League baseball.
When life goes as smoothly as it has lately for the Salem Avalanche, you get stolen bases from two catchers and a first baseman, your slugger hits to the opposite field and your closer ends the game with a curveball that makes the batter look as though he'd rather pursue a different line of work.
Luis Colmenares polished off his Carolina League-leading 10th save, and the Avalanche played errorless and opportunistic baseball to vanquish the Lynchburg Hillcats 6-3 on Friday night at balmy Memorial Stadium.
For the Hillcats, it was the eighth consecutive loss, a team record. Salem won for the eighth time in its past 10 games, and the Souther Division leaders have the league's best record, 18-11.
The Avalanche started slowly against newly minted left-handed pitcher Mike Brown, an old Salem favorite from his days as the Buccaneers' slugging first baseman. But Salem broke loose against the bullpen for the Northern Division's cellar dwellers, scoring five runs in the last four innings.
``It's not easy to come off of a five-hour bus trip, which is what we had back from Kinston last night, and getting into bed at 4:45 a.m.,'' said Bill McGuire, Salem's manager. ``We didn't hit [before the game] today so they could get some rest, but you could see why there was a little lull at the start.''
The lull ended in the bottom of the fifth, when Steve Bernhardt, the No.9 batter in the Avalanche order, led off with a solo home run over the left-field wall. It was Bernhardt's first homer of the campaign and only his fifth in four years of pro ball.
``I'm not a power hitter,'' he said. ``I got a two-strike fastball up, and all I wanted to do was put it in play. I didn't expect to hit it out of the park. My next time up, I broke my bat, so back to reality.''
Probably all for the best. One mortar shot is all it takes for some guys to swing for the fences every time up.
``Bernie's too smart for that,'' McGuire said. ``He's a University of Richmond graduate.''
Bernhardt's homer was close to the end for Brown, a 6-foot-7 Californian. He left with the score 2-2 and was not involved in the decision.
Brown was persuaded by former Bucs pitching coach Dave Rajsich to give pitching a try when both were at Class AA Carolina. The experiment began in earnest this season.
``I'm having fun,'' Brown said. ``This has been all right. I'm learning.''
As is Avalanche first baseman Nate Holdren, a student of the game if there ever was one. He's been slumping a bit, but some extra work in Kinston on taking pitches the opposite way to right field paid off with two singles, not to mention a pair of runs batted in and a stolen base.
``Actually, I got fooled on the second one I went to right with and just pushed it out there,'' he said.
That second slice plated the second of two Salem runs in the seventh as the Avalanche expanded its lead.
More good pitching from starter Doug Million and middle reliever Todd Genke got the game to Colmenares. Lynchburg did not score from the third inning until the eighth.
Colmenares issued a couple of walks, but that only served to make the rest of his outing interesting.
Million suffered from cramps when he was warming up and, thus, didn't have much faith in his fastball. But he did get by with eight hits, six strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
"I was throwing a lot more curveballs than I usually do,'' he said. ``Almost half the pitches I threw were curves, and that's a lot.''
SNOWBALLS: Salem pitcher John Burke was recalled to Class AAA Colorado Springs after making the start in Thursday night's loss in Kinston. ... Lynchburg designated hitter Jon Farrell, who was leading the league in hitting with a .359 average, was promoted to AA Carolina on Friday.
see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. DON PETERSEN Staff Lynchburg's Steve Thobe slidesby CNBpast Salem's Elvis Pena at second. color
2. DON PETERSEN Staff Salem pitcher Doug Million catches Lynchburg's
Steve Thobe in a rundown between second and third bases during their
game Friday night at Memorial Stadium. The Avalanche beat the
Hillcats 6-3.