ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996 TAG: 9606130035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
Neil Garrett knew before he took the mound he would be headed back to Asheville, N.C., on Sunday morning.
That's one plane trip Garrett - as well as the Salem Avalanche - hopes he doesn't have to make.
Garrett gave up a three-run homer to Kinston first baseman Sean Casey in the third inning, but otherwise got good reviews Wednesday night following the Avalanche's 5-3 loss at Memorial Stadium. (Box score in Baseball Scoreboard. B2)
Garrett had eight strikeouts, including seven in the first four innings, and made a strong case to return to Salem in the second half of the Carolina League season.
If he ever leaves, that is.
``That was the first thing I thought about after the game,'' said Bill McGuire, Salem's manager. ``With our pitching woes, he'd be more than welcome. He looked like he belonged here.''
The Avalanche has lost four consecutive games and 14 of 17, but McGuire said he wouldn't beg the front office to keep Garrett and reliever Sean Murphy, also up from Asheville.
``I'm not that type of manager,'' McGuire said. ``If the people in the front office ask me what I think, I'll say he can pitch here. They should be able to tell that from the comments in our report.''
Garrett, who was 7-2 and had a 3.89 earned run average with Asheville, actually had pitched in Salem previously. He made five relief appearances for the Avalanche before undergoing shoulder surgery in May 1995.
``I like this place; I like it a lot,'' said Garrett, who last year pitched at Municipal Field, with its short fences. ``I came up to see the new stadium while I was here last year and could see it was a pitcher's park.''
Garrett paid dearly for his one mistake Wednesday night, an inside fastball to Casey. He had struck out the first two batters in the third before Gerad Cawhorn doubled to left on a ball that landed a few feet from Will Scalzitti.
Scalzitti, primarily a catcher, has been playing left while Pookie Jones has been nursing a strained knee. Chad Gambill, the regular right-fielder, has been out with a strained wrist.
``I'd like to tell you when they can play,'' McGuire said. ``Most of all, I'd like them to tell me when they can play. I have two outfielders in the wrong position. [Earl] Cunningham's not a right fielder.
``We are going to get some help. There are going to be a lot of changes at the half. They're trying to make New Haven competitive, they're trying to make us competitive and they're trying to keep Asheville competitive.''
Salem trailed 4-0 before Scalzitti ended a seven-game, 0-for-25 drought by hitting a drive that bounced off the top of the wall in left and hit the Miller Lite sign for a three-run homer.
That was in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Avalanche threatened again on several occasions, including the sixth, when Nate Holdren walked to start the inning and reached third on a pair of wild pitches.
Holdren faked a dash to the plate following a one-out liner to short left by Scalzitti, but then was stranded when Cunningham flied to right field for the third out.
John Fantauzzi doubled to start the seventh and the Avalanche had runners on first and second with two out, but Kyle Houser hit into a double play. A double-play groundout by Blake Barthol ended a threat in the eighth.
SNOWBALLS: Barthol, after throwing out two runners attempting to steal Tuesday, gunned down Patrice Claudio in the first inning Wednesday night. Another would-be stealer returned to first after a quick Barthol release. ... Asheville, one step below Salem on Colorado's organizational chart, has clinched the first-half pennant in the South Atlantic League. ... A rainstorm swept caused a 24-minute delay at the start of the game.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB