Vero Beach, FL (AP) -- The Vero Beach Bums, two-time Picard Division
champs and currently in 3rd place with a 13-10 record, shut out the Duluth
Bjork in two consecutive games yesterday. In the first game, Ismael
Valdes defeated Denny Neagle 11-0. Similarly, in the second game, Willie
Adams beat Jason Dickson 7-0. The Bums outhit the Bjork 34-14 in the pair
of games.
Neagle was knocked out of the first game after just one inning, giving up
4 runs on 6 hits. Garth Kitchens, Duluth's wild prospect, then gave up 7
earned runs and 15 hits in the next 6 innings to gradually make the game a
blowout. Kitchens threw 110 pitches, struck out 6, and walked two.
Valdes had one of his better outings of the year. The 3-2 starter gave up
just six hits in 7 innings, walking 2 and striking out five.
"The new-look Bjork don't scare me too much anymore," said Valdes. "In
the old days a couple years ago, they had a lot of guys with power, but
now they're just a bunch of prospects."
Angel Miranda and Kurt Hardie finished the game, each pitching one
scoreless inning for the Bums. "It's a bit of a confidence builder," said
Hardie, "just to get a few outs, even when the game isn't on the line."
Hardie had a 10-plus ERA in 3 outings previous to this one.
In the first game, Bums catcher Jim Collins went 4 for 4, hitting 2
doubles and scoring 3 times. Collins has improved his average to .313 so
far this season. Leadoff hitter Brian Jordan also scored 3 times, with a
walk and 3 hits, including a home run. "Being at home helps," said
Jordan. Marquis Grissom showed some signs of emerging from his
season-long slump, hitting a homer and going 2 for 5.
The first game was not a total victory for the Bums, however; Jeff King
came out of the game in the ninth with a strained back. Veteran SS Greg
Gagne saw his first action as a Bum, as a defensive replacement for King.
In the second game, the Bjork again took all the suspense out of the game
by spotting the Bums a 6-run second-inning lead. Jason Dickson, after a
scoreless first, gave up six runs on 6 hits and a walk. The Bums scored
those runs using doubles and singles, for the most part; the Bums hit a
season-high 8 doubles in the game, with a total of 13 hits and one walk.
Leadoff hitter Gregg Jefferies and #3 man Phil Nevin hit 2 doubles a
piece.
Bums pitching gave up just 7 hits in the game. Willie Adams gave up just
five hits and one walk, while striking out 5, in 7 1/3 scoreless innings.
Barney Berres, Dave Weathers, and Angel Miranda combined to give up 2 hits
and two walks and preserve the shutout.
King played the entire game, hitting a double as well, but complained of
pain in his back and will sit out the next game against Duluth. King will
sit out indefinitely until the pain in his back is gone, said team
doctors. He will be replaced at 1B by Jefferies, giving Gant his
left-field job back and opening the DH spot for the newly acquired Jeromy
Burnitz.
"I'm looking forward to joining the Bums," said Burnitz in a telephone
interview. "I think I'll fill an important role on the team, and I'll be
glad to contribute in any way I can." Burnitz will start at DH against
right-handed pitching, and will be an important left-handed bat off the
bench in other situations. He will also back up Brian Jordan in right
field, and will be behind Jefferies and Gant in left.
