Salem won the deciding game of the Southern Division playoffs over Kinston 5-3.
Chris Blazek pitched well out of the pen going 2 1/3 innings allowing a hit and a walk while striking out 5 to earn the win. This brings Blazeks line for the play offs to 4 2/3 innings pitched, a hit, a walk, 9 strike outs, a save & a win.
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“He has the guts of a burglar,” Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits said. “There’s nobody I’d rather have the ball at the end of a game than him. Probably nobody in the league.”
The Avs battled out of an early 3-0 hole created by Bud Norris who pitched well except for the second where he gave up 3 runs on 3 walks and two hits. He only gave up one other hit in his 5 1/3 innings and struck out 6.
Av’s outfielders Hart & Rosales gunned down runners at the plate in the 4th & 6th to hold the game at 3 all.
Tri Cities:
Russel Dixon had three hits and two RBI, Colin Delome had two hits and two RBIs, and Steve Brown had two hits and 2 RBI as the ValleyCats decided to not leave any hits in their bats for the off season in an 11-2 season ending victory. Carlos Ladeuth had another effective start for the win.