ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, August 17, 1996 TAG: 9608190063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Even though Bill Swift and David Nied are pitching at the same level of organized baseball, there's no question that one's road back to the major leagues is much longer than the other's.
At least there was no question before Friday night. Nied followed Swift on the mound with six solid innings in the Salem Avalanche's 9-1 win over the Prince William Cannons. He'd like to continue to follow Swift. Back to the big leagues.
Both guys are trying to pitch their way back from arm injuries. While Swift, a 21-game winner with the San Francisco Giants in 1993, will make only one more start in Salem (next Wednesday against Durham) on his way back to hopefully contribute to the Colorado Rockies' pennant chase in the National League West, Nied is just hoping to keep pitching the way he has been since joining the Avalanche two weeks ago.
The victory left both guys admiring the other's comeback.
``He pitched well,'' said Swift, a right-hander who threw 35 pitches in two innings before coming out. ``I haven't seen him pitch since spring training and he looked totally different. He was missing up in the strike zone. He kept the ball down tonight. I know you can't measure how well somebody is doing in [Class] A ball, but he seems to have a good attitude about it.''
Nied (2-1) was credited with the win after allowing just two hits, striking out five and walking four in six innings, although he seemed to be just as happy for Swift, who allowed only an unearned run in his first start since having arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder in June.
``I was happy to see Swifty pitching pain-free again,'' said Nied, who was sent to Salem after struggling at Class AAA Colorado Springs. It was a tough adjustment for the right-hander, who just four years ago was the Rockies' first pick in the expansion draft and who pitched the first game in Rockies' history in 1993.
Nied, too, has had arm trouble. He tore a ligament in his throwing elbow last year and made only two appearances in the majors. Swift, meanwhile, needed surgery to correct some fraying of his labrum muscle and rotator cuff.
``We've both been through some down times,'' said Nied, who has a 1.65 ERA in four appearances. ``I'd like to see good things happen to him, because he's a good humble person.''
With Swift and Nied on the mound, Salem (21-30) did its best impersonation of the Blake Street Bombers and put on a Coors Field-style scoring show with six runs in the second inning.
Pookie Jones and Blake Barthol homered in the inning - Jones hit a mammoth two-run shot just to the left of straightaway center field, Barthol's was a three-run blast - and Chan Mayber doubled and scored on Kyle Houser's groundout.
For Jones, it was his sixth homer of the season - his first at Salem Memorial Stadium - and was part of a three-hit night. He homered in the second, singled in the third, doubled in the fifth and walked in his final plate appearance in the seventh.
``I was just trying to hit it hard,'' said Jones. ``The last time up, I was just going to try to hit it hard and try to get it in the gap. It was a great feeling tonight with those guys on the mound. It was great giving [Swift] a 6-1 lead.''
Actually, the 20-minute, six-run second contributed to Swift's early departure. He was scheduled to throw 45 pitches, but came out after experiencing tightness in his triceps following the prolonged sitting.
``I felt good, but it hurt a little bit,'' said Swift. ``Right now, I'm hoping to go again Wednesday and we'll see what happens after that. If I feel okay, I think I can help [the Rockies].''
Salem, which has won five in a row, added three more runs in the fifth when Mayber and Nate Holdren lofted sacrifice flies and Houser doubled in a run.
Brandon Moore doubled down the left-field line in the first for Prince William (22-31) and eventually scored on Juan Thomas' sacrifice fly. Swift allowed an infield single to Wil Polidor in the second, but wound up striking out two in his start. Scott LaRock fanned two in his one inning of relief before yielding to Nied.
``It was kind of neat back there tonight,'' said Barthol, Salem's catcher. ``Who knows, maybe I'll be together with those guys at the top someday. Tonight, it was an honor to catch.''
SNOWBALLS: Salem right-hander Stephen Shoemaker, tonight's starter, last won July 5. His 87 strikeouts (in 50 innings) are second on the team to Mike Vavrek's 91 (in 132 innings). ... Elvis Pena and Chad Gambill extended their respective hitting streaks to five games. Gambill is 8-for-15 (.533) with six RBI in his past four games.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. Bill Swift, a former major-leagueby CNBAll-Star making a rehabilitation start for Salem, allowed one
unearned run in two innings of work against Prince William. color.