Warthogs avoid sweep

Published in Sports on July 5, 2006 2:10 PM

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WINSTON-SALEM -- An RBI single by Winston-Salem's Donny Lucy in the bottom of the eighth inning was the difference as the Warthogs beat the K-Tribe 3-2 to salvage the final game of a three-game series.

Kinston started off strong in the first inning as Jordan Brown scored from third base on a Warthog error with the bases loaded and two outs. Javi Herrera drove home Rodney Choy Foo with an RBI single one batter later to give Kinston a 2-0 lead.

Then the Winston-Salem pitchers took over as they would not allow a Kinston hit for the rest of the game. Kinston came in batting .321 as a team in the last five games, but managed only three hits on Tuesday night -- with all of the hits coming in the first inning.

Winston-Salem tied the game at two in the bottom of the eighth inning, with a solo home run from David Cook and an RBI single by Robert Valido.

Chris "Doodle" Hicks (5-1) picked up his first loss of the season, giving up three runs in three innings of work.

Jay Marshall (5-1) notched the win for Winston-Salem, pitching an inning of scoreless relief.

Kinston opens up a six-game home stand at Grainger Stadium tonight against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Kevin Dixon will take the mound for the K-Tribe for the 7 p.m. contest.

MONDAY'S GAME

Kinston 8,

Winston-Salem 4

WINSTON-SALEM -- Kinston exploded for 12 hits in an 8-4 win over Winston-Salem on Monday night.

Kinston scored five earned runs off of Winston-Salem's starter Lucas Harrell (7-2), who came into the game with a Carolina League leading 1.85 ERA.

Down 3-1 in the top of the third, the K-Tribe sent eight men to the plate and scored four runs.

Three walks by Harrell, and three hits by the K-Tribe did the damage and gave Kinston a 5-3 lead they would never relinquish. Brandon Pinckney went 3-for-4 with an RBI; Rodney Choy Foo, Javi Herrera and Jose Constanza each had two hits.

Joe Ness (8-2) notched his eighth win of the season, going six innings and striking out five. Mike Finocchi and T.J. Burton combined for three innings of scoreless relief.