ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 1996 TAG: 9606060071
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
WILMINGTON CAPITALIZES on wildness on the mound and in the field to beat the Salem Avalanche.
Misdirected pitches got the Salem Avalanche in trouble Wednesday night and an errant throw never let them out of it.
The Avalanche fell to the Wilmington Blue Rocks 4-2 despite outhitting their Carolina League rivals from the north. But five walks in the first three innings (three in the first) doesn't help, no matter how a team is hitting.
Salem pitcher Stephen Shoemaker, making his second start in 13 appearances, gave up a leadoff double and three walks in the first, letting the Blue Rocks go ahead 1-0. A catcher's interference and two more walks in the third inning got him in more trouble.
But just as Shoemaker was squirming his way out of it with two fly ball outs, a throwing error by third baseman Steve Bernhardt let two runs in.
``It came down to that one play,'' said Bill McGuire, the Avalanche's manager. ``That's the difference in the game. Bernie had the thought process right, but the execution lacked. At least he did the right thing.''
Shoemaker (0-2) righted himself in the fourth, retiring the side in order, but he didn't pitch after that.
With Brent Crowther in New Haven, Conn., with the Ravens of the Class AA Eastern League, Keith Barnes assigned to Asheville, N.C., of the Class A South Atlantic League and Luther Hackman on the disabled list, Salem is operating with a five-man bullpen, something McGuire said shouldn't happen below Class AA.
Relievers Jeff Sobkoviak and Todd Genke pitched well for the rest of the game, allowing three hits and one run in the final five innings. The consequence of their extended outings, however, will be that they likely won't be able to pitch again before Saturday.
``With our pitching depleted, that's not a good thing to have,'' McGuire said. ``If any other starter gets knocked out early, we're in trouble.''
The Avalanche bench isn't faring much better. Already missing Ronnie Hall, who will have a shoulder examined today in Denver, Salem lost another player on Wednesday.
Right fielder Chad Gambill slid into second base on a second-inning double and strained his right wrist. His status is uncertain, but he did have to leave the game.
Still, the Avalanche (31-28) had a chance to beat the Blue Rocks (35-25). Nate Holdren's second home run of the year made it 4-1 in the sixth. But Wilmington starter Javier Gamboa (3-1) and ace reliever Steve Prihoda no-hit the Avalanche over the last three innings. Prihoda, whose delivery makes him look like he's being controlled by a puppeteer with a high sugar intake, earned his 11th save of the year, one behind Salem's Luis Colmenares, the Carolina League leader.
``I've never hit off him and I don't want to,'' said John Mizerock, the Blue Rocks' manager. ``A thing of beauty wasn't it?''
Maybe so, but not for the Avalanche.
SNOWBALLS: Outfielder Pookie Jones was taken off the disabled list and is expected to play tonight at Frederick. He had been on the DL since May 31 because of an injured left knee. ... The Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium hot tub will be featured Friday on a segment of ABC-TV's ``Good Morning America.''
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines KEYWORDS: BASEBALLby CNB