It's a good thing Tim Torres drives a gas-sipping Scion. He's spent the summer driving the 344 miles between Salem and Lexington, Ky., as the Houston Astros move him up and down the same two rungs on their minor-league ladder.

"I know the way by heart," he said Tuesday.

In the first game of his third trip to Salem, Torres went 2-for-4, scored one run and drove in another as the Avalanche snapped a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 victory over Lynchburg at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Avalanche (20-22) remain three games behind Myrtle Beach (24-20) in the race for second place and a potential wild-card spot in the Carolina League playoffs. The Pelicans are four games behind Southern Division-leading Kinston (27-15) and Salem is seven games back with 28 games left.

Salem's Sean Walker gave up one run on three hits in four innings in his third appearance since spending more than two months on the disabled list with a high ankle sprain.

"He's still not as he can be, but that's to be expected," said Avs manager Jim Pankovits. "We'll gradually increase his innings. ... He could be huge."

Walker's teammates spotted him a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Torres led off with a single, went to third on a double by Billy Hart and scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Orlando Rosales drew a walk and Pat Osborn ripped a two-run double to put Walker comfortably ahead.

Hart, Osborn and Cesar Quintero each had two hits.

With Torres leading off, the Avalanche scored as many runs on Tuesday as it had in its three straight losses combined.

The performance was hardly new for Torres. He went 12-for-29 with six doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs in his first stints in Salem. But he was sent back to low-A Lexington after eight games.

He was brought back up two weeks later and lasted just a week, going 4-for-18 before heading back west.

"I feel good up here," said Torres, who hit .291 with 11 doubles, a triple, nine homers and 30 RBIs in 68 games in three stints at Lexington. "But I've been good down there too."

"He hasn't played very much," Pankovits said, explaining the Astros' eagerness to keep Torres on the highway. "He's got to pay his dues. There are a lot of guys here who've played a lot more than he has and they are some pretty good players.

"He'll have his chance."

HOW THEY SCORED

Salem first: Torres singled. Hart doubled; Torres to third. Einertson struck out. Johnson popped out. Rosales walked. Osborn doubled; Hart scored; Rosales scored. Salem 3, Hillcats 0.

Lynchburg third: One out. Powell singled. Powell stole second. Gonzalez reached on a fielder's choice; Powell to third. Johnson flied out; Powell scored. Salem 3, Hillcats 1.

Lynchburg fifth: Two outs. Picart hit by a pitch by Shortell. Powell singled; Picart to second. Gonzalez singled and went to second on the throw home; Picart scored; Powell to third. Salem 3, Hillcats 2.

Salem fifth: Two outs. Hart walked. Einertson doubled; Hart scored. Salem 4, Hillcats 2.

Salem sixth: Rosales singled. Osborn singled; Rosales to third. Tellam flied out; Rosales scored. Quintero singled; Osborn to third. Sutil grounded into a fielder's choice and went to second on a throwing error by Gonzalez; Osborn scored; Quintero out at second. Torres singled; Sutil scored. Avalanche 7, Hillcats 2.

LYNCHBURG SALEM

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Powell cf 4 1 2 0 Torres 2b 4 1 2 1

Gonzalez ss 4 0 1 1 King pr-2b 1 0 0 0

Johnson 3b 2 0 1 1 Hart dh 3 2 2 0

Corley rf 4 0 0 0 Einertson cf 3 0 1 1

Romack lf 3 0 0 0 Johnson 3b 4 0 0 0

Davenport 1b 4 0 2 0 Rosales rf 3 2 1 0

Lerud c 4 0 0 0 Osborn 1b 4 1 2 2

De Los Santos dh 4 0 0 0 Tellam c 3 0 0 1

Picart 2b 3 1 0 0 Quintero lf 4 0 2 0

Sutil ss 4 1 1 1

Totals 32 2 6 2 Totals 33 7 11 6

Lynchburg 001 010 000 -- 2

Salem 300 013 00x -- 7

E--Gonzalez 2 (5), Johnson (3). DP--Lynchburg 2. LOB--Lynchburg 7, Salem 6. 2B--Davenport (14), Hart (21), Osborn (5), Einertson (32). SF--Johnson, Tellam. SB--Powell (52).

IP H R ER BB SO

Lynchburg

Bloom L, 9-9 5 8 6 6 2 3

Bresnehan 1 3 1 1 1 0

Antelo 2 0 0 0 0 2

Salem

Walker 4 3 1 1 0 1

Shortell 1 2-3 2 1 1 0 0

Blazek W,3-2 1 1-3 0 0 0 0 1

Sweeney 2 1 0 0 2 1

WP--Bloom. HBP--by Shortell (Picart).

Umpires--Home: Cunningham; Bases: Kaminsky.

T--2:38. A--2,392.