K-Tribe comes from behind to slap Salem

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 20, 2004 1:59 PM

• Print
• Email

KINSTON -- A night after blowing their first lead of the season when leading after seven innings, the Indians bullpen this time held on as Kinston came from behind twice to defeat Salem 5-2 before 1,742 fans Thursday night at historic Grainger Stadium.

Kinston improved to 32-19 in the second half and 77-43 in the second half, and kept its one-game lead on Winston-Salem in the South Division. Salem fell to 22-31 and 60-63.

The Indians won three of four in the series and are now 67-1 when leading after seven.

As many expected, a pitchers duel quickly evolved between Kinston's Adam Miller and Salem's Fernando Nieve. The Avalanche manufactured a run in the top of the first when Josh Anderson led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Adam Seuss to make it 1-0. The Tribe responded immediately though, as Jonathan van Every, batting leadoff for just the second time all year, tied the game at 1-1 with a solo home run to right-center.

It would stay even until the top of the sixth, when a leadoff walk came back to haunt Miller. Reinaldo Ruiz drew the free pass, and a sacrifice bunt and a fielder's choice pushed him to third with two away. Pitching coach Greg Hibbard visited Miller and left the 19-year-old in, but Pat Peavey produced an RBI single to left to score Ruiz and chase Miller from the game. Once again, however, Kinston would respond with a long-ball. Shaun Larkin's double-play ball erased a leadoff single by Brad Snyder, but Pat Osborn drilled a solo homerun to almost the same place as van Every's blast in right-center, tying the game at 2-2.

Travis Foley struck out a pair in the top of the seventh, and Kinston broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Rodney Choy Foo grounded a single to left on the first pitch of the inning, setting the stage for Anthony Lunetta. Having already popped up twice, Lunetta showed bunt and drew Salem third baseman Ryan Stegall way in onto the grass. Lunetta then pulled the bunt back, however, and chopped a double over Stegall's head and down the left field line as Choy Foo raced in to third. A wild pitch by Monte Mansfield scored Choy Foo, and Snyder plated Lunetta with a sac fly to right as Kinston went ahead 4-2. Larkin capped the scoring with an RBI groundout.

Foley stranded a man on third in the top of the eighth, and closer Todd Pennington worked an uneventful ninth for his 14th save of the year. Foley moved to 2-0 with the win, tossing 2.1 hitless innings. Miller went 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits. He walked three and struck out five batters for the fifth straight start. Mansfield (9-2) took the loss, allowing three runs and three hits in 1.1 innings. Nieve allowed two runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. Van Every's homer was his team-leading 19th, and Osborn's shot was his ninth. Snyder, Osborn, Choy Foo and Javi Herrera all finished with two hits.

The Indians will open a three-game series with the Potomac Cannons Friday night in Woodbridge, Va.