ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996 TAG: 9606240158
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
After suffering through a weeklong scoring drought, five runs must have seemed like a torrential downpour to the Salem Avalanche.
Salem scored five runs in the last three innings and used strong pitching from left-hander Doug Million to knock off the Lynchburg Hillcats 5-1 in a Carolina League baseball game Saturday night in front of 1,503 fans at City Stadium. (Box score in Baseball Scoreboard. C4)
Salem had not scored since June 15, a span of 18 innings. The Carolina League was off five days because of the California League-Carolina League All-Star game.
Salem (1-1) broke a scoreless game in the top of the seventh inning. Nate Holdren, who was 3-for-4, singled with two out off Lynchburg starter Kevin Pickford and took second on a wild pitch.
Blake Barthol walked and both runners advanced by stealing bases. Earl Cunningham ended the scoring dry spell with a two-run single to give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead.
A couple of errors by Lynchburg third baseman Freddy Garcia led to two more Salem runs in the eighth. Kyle Houser scored on one of the errors and Barthol, who was 2-for-3, singled to bring in John Giudice, who had reached on an error.
Lynchburg (1-1) scored its lone run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by Chad Hermansen, but Salem answered with a run in the ninth.
Pookie Jones singled with one out and took third on Elvis Pena's single. Jones scored on a groundout by Houser for a 5-1 lead.
Million (6-4) got the win for Salem, pitching six shutout innings while allowing just three hits. He walked four and struck out three. Pickford (5-7) got the loss, giving up two runs in seven innings while walking one and striking out three.
LENGTH: Short : 41 linesby CNB