Avalanche's Diaz tames Hillcats

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Avalanche's Diaz tames Hillcats
06/09/2007 9:54 PM ET
By Daren Smith / MLB.com

Raymar Diaz allowed one hit over eight innings before tiring in the ninth Saturday as the Salem Avalanche rolled to an 8-3 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats.
Diaz (4-4) won his third straight decision but fell one out short of the first complete game of his five-year career. Through eight innings, he gave up just a leadoff single to Jason Delaney in the fourth.
The 23-year-old right-hander retired 14 consecutive batters until Angel Gonzalez led off the ninth with a base hit. Two outs later, Delaney delivered an RBI double and came all the way around to score on shortstop Thomas Manzella's throwing error.
Brad Corley followed with another single, ending the night for Diaz, who was charged with three runs on four hits over a career-high 8 2/3 innings. He struck out six without issuing a walk and remained unbeaten in five starts since May 11.
Rory Shortell gave up a walk, an RBI double to Ulyses Davenport and hit a batter before striking out Anthony Mansolino to nail down Salem's third straight win.
The Avalanche (35-26) staked Diaz to a quick lead as Ryan Reed hit an RBI groundout and Manzella scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first to make it 2-0. Mitch Einertson hit his fourth homer with one out in the third and Cesar Quintero scored on Delaney's error at first base to give Salem a four-run cushion.
A three-run sixth helped break it open for the Avalanche. Billy Hart and Quintero laced RBI doubles and a throwing error by shortstop Angel Gonzalez allowed Quintero to score.
Starter Serguey Linares (1-2) gave up six runs -- three earned -- on four hits and three walks in five innings for the Hillcats (28-31). He walked three and hit a batter.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.