ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 16, 1996 TAG: 9606170027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Unheralded role players dream of nights like the one had by journeymen Jeff Sobkoviak and Steve Bernhardt on Saturday, when the Salem Avalanche beat the Winston-Salem Warthogs 5-0.
For Sobkoviak, a long reliever who has had his share of ups and downs this season, the performance provided hope for the second half of the Carolina League season. For Bernhardt, the night was a launching pad to bigger and better things, earning him a ticket to New Haven (Conn.) of the Class AA Eastern League.
It was a great way for Salem (34-35), which had lost 15 of its past 20 games, to end the first half of the season. Winston-Salem (37-33), meanwhile, entered the game only a half-game behind first-place Durham in the Southern Division, but Saturday's loss and Durham's victory over Lynchburg gave the Bulls the title.
Thrust into a starting assignment because of a rash of injuries to Salem pitchers, Sobkoviak responded with six shutout innings of one-hit ball. Although he didn't need a ton of offense, he was ably backed by 13 Salem hits, two from Bernhardt.
``That was an outstanding performance, wasn't it?'' said Salem pitching coach Bill Champion, who before the game had hoped for three solid innings from Sobkoviak.
With all of his 16 previous appearances coming in relief, Sobkoviak (3-3) pitched like an ace, relying heavily on a sharp curveball that had left him recently. He struck out seven and gave up only Marlon Allen's leadoff double in the second inning.
``Just [Friday], I was joking with Champ [Champion] and telling him, `I've got seven [innings] for you tomorrow night,''' he said. ``It almost worked out.''
Sobkoviak did not come out for the seventh, and reliever Sean Murphy held the Warthogs to two hits in the final three innings to earn his first save.
``He lied to me,'' Champion said jokingly. ``He said he had seven. I told [Salem pitcher Doug] Million to tell him he lied to me.''
Sobkoviak and Bernhardt stole the spotlight from some other noteworthy performances. On any other night, Will Scalzitti homering for the fourth consecutive game would have been the big story. His solo shot in the fourth made it 2-0.
Bernhardt, Elvis Pena, John Giudice, Nate Holdren and John Fantauzzi each had two hits for Salem. Bernhardt knocked in a run in the sixth to make it 5-0 and was warmly applauded by the crowd of 4,173 at Memorial Stadium when it was announced he was moving up to New Haven.
``This was more fanfare than I expected to go out with,'' said Bernhardt, Salem's third baseman who was hounded by autograph seekers after the game. He leaves Salem batting .300, not knowing if his stay in New Haven will be permanent.
``I'll just fill in wherever they need a spot,'' said Bernhardt, who is taking the roster spot of injured first baseman Todd Helton. ``Most days, I'm just happy to be playing.''
Giudice stroked a two-run homer in the fifth that made it 4-0 and raised the ire of Winston-Salem starter Chris Murphy (5-8) not only for its distance - which went 50 feet beyond the left-field wall - but also for the time it took Giudice to view it from home plate.
Murphy barked at Giudice as the Avalanche hitter rounded the bases. Giudice made a choice comment or two as he headed for home. Next time up, he was plunked by reliever Pete Magre.
``There was just a little profanity,'' after the homer, Giudice said. ``Baseball talk. That's all. I had it in the back of my mind I'd get hit.''
SNOWBALLS: The six days off are coming at a good time for the Avalanche, which has plenty of injured pitchers in need of healing. Luther Hackman, whose nose was broken by a line drive May 31, has started ``long-tossing'' and could be ready to pitch within two weeks.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB