ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, June 24, 1996 TAG: 9606240164
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
Even before one could get the radio dialed in on Sunday, the Salem Avalanche was down 6-0.
Lynchburg scored six runs in the second inning and starter John Dillinger silenced the Salem bats as the Hillcats blew past Salem 8-2 in a Carolina League baseball game at sweltering City Stadium.
Dillinger (3-2), a 6-foot-6 right-hander, went seven innings and allowed one run on one hit - a solo homer by Pookie Jones in the sixth, which broke up the no-hitter Dillinger had going. He walked three, struck out five and retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced before allowing Jones' blast.
The Hillcats (2-1) hammered Salem's Matt Pool as every Lynchburg starter had at least one hit. Pool (4-4) took the loss, going just 12/3 innings and allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out one.
Shon Walker singled with one out to get things started in the second inning off Pool and Erskine Kelley reached on an error by Salem third baseman Tal Light. Jonathan Sweet followed with a two-run double to give the Hillcats a 2-0 lead.
Ramon Martinez then cranked a triple to bring in Sweet and came around to score on a single by Derek Swafford for a four-run lead. After Swafford stole second, he came around on a double by Mike Asche. Asche later scored on a two-out double by Freddy Garcia for a 6-0 Hillcat lead.
Lynchburg added two more runs in the third on an RBI double by Kelley and an RBI single by Martinez.
Jones' homer in the sixth - his third of the season and first since May 14 - cut the lead to 8-1. The other Avalanche run came in the eighth off Lynchburg reliever Michael Brown. Jones doubled off the wall and scored on a single by Elvis Pena.
Jones finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Pena had Salem's only other hit.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for text
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB