Baseball wisdom says that left-handed hitters are supposed to struggle against left-handed pitchers. Mark Ori, the Salem Avalanche's lefty first baseman, disagrees and loves the opportunity to prove his point.

In the bottom of the 10th inning with Tim Torres at second base, Frederick manager Tommy Thompson intentionally walked Jordan Parraz and then called for left-hander Ryan Rodriguez to face Ori.

Rodriguez slung a few side-armed fastballs well outside, but when he got one into the strike zone, Ori smacked it straight up the middle.

The ball skipped up off the pitcher's mound and into center field to bring Torres home for a 2-1 Carolina League win over the Frederick Keys at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.

"If it didn't hit the mound ...," Ori said, not giving voice to the possibility that a game in which neither team could take advantage of its scoring chances might have slunk deep into the late night shadows. "That guy was playing me right up the middle."

For the second straight night, Salem's pitching staff frustrated Frederick's star-studded offense, allowing only one unearned run on six hits and four walks in 10 innings.

"Our pitchers did a great job, all of them, in really dire circumstances," Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits said.

The Avalanche (16-20) scored one run in the first inning. With one out, Torres walked and went to second on a single by Parraz. Ori singled to right field and Torres was thrown out trying to score, but Parraz went to third on the throw. Parraz then scored on a wild pitch by Frederick starter Pedro Beato.

For the next eight innings, Salem didn't score.

Frederick, the top hitting and second most productive offense in the league, scored its one run on an single, a groundout and a fielding error by Greg Buchanan at second base.

The Keys (20-17) ended up stranding nine runners; the Avalanche 10.

Salem got its leadoff man aboard in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and couldn't plate a tiebreaking run.

In the top of the 10th, Frederick's Danny Figueroa led off with a double and then stole third base before Brandon Tripp struck out. Avalanche lefty Josh Appell intentionally walked Matt Wieters and then righty Raymar Diaz came in to face Paul Winterling.

Thompson tried a suicide squeeze play. But Winterling whiffed on his bunt attempt and Figueroa was tagged out easily. Diaz then struck Winterling out.

Ori, who went 2-for-4, is tied with Lynchburg's Jim Negrych for the league lead with 26 RBIs.

He has hit .311 against right-handers this season, and despite getting to play fewer times against lefties, has actually hit .333 against them.

"He has more than held his own, this year and I think throughout his career against lefties," Pankovits said. "He's always teasing me about not playing him against lefties.

"But I tell him the reason I take him out is not that I don't think he can hit lefties, it's more a chance to give other people a chance to play.

"But he's been about as clutch a hitter as I've had in three years here."

Notes

Nick Moresi suffered a hairline fracture of his left forearm last night when he was hit by a pitch, Pankovits said. He is out indefinitely, and Pankovits said there is no word when or if he will be replaced on the roster.

HOW THE RUNS SCORED

Salem first: One out. Torres walked. Parraz singled, Torres to second. Ori singled, Torres thrown out at the plate, Parraz to third. Parraz scored on a wild pitch from Beato. Avalanche 1, Keys 0.

Frederick fifth: Powell singled. McCarthy grounded out, Powell to second. Johnson reached on an error by Buchanan, Powell scored. Avalanche 1, Keys 1.

Salem 10th: One out. Torres singled. Torres stole second. Parraz intentionally walked. Rodriguez relieved Moore. Ori singled, Torres scored.. Avalanche 2, Keys 1.

FREDERICK SALEM

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Figueroa cf 4 0 1 0 Florentino 3b 5 0 1 0

Tripp rf 5 0 0 0 Torres ss 3 1 1 0

Wieters c 4 0 0 0 Parraz cf 4 1 1 0

Vinyard 1b 4 0 2 0 Ori 1b 4 0 2 1

Winterling 1b 1 0 0 0 Clemens c 2 0 0 0

Rowell 3b 3 1 2 0 Van Ostrand lf 2 0 0 0

McCarthy ss 4 0 0 0 Rosales rf 2 0 0 0

Johnson dh 2 0 0 0 Buchanan 2b 4 0 1 0

Amador dh 1 0 0 0 Quintero dh 4 0 0 0

Andrews lf 4 0 0 0

Abreu 2b 4 0 1 0

Totals 36 1 6 0 Totals 30 2 6 1

Frederick 000 010 000 0-- 1

Salem 100 000 000 1-- 2

E--Buchanan (4). DP--Frederick 1. LOB--Frederick 9, Salem 10. 2B--Rowell (5), Vinyard 2 (4), Figueroa (3), Buchanan (7). SB--Amador (11), Figueroa (11), Torres (3). CS--Figueroa (4). PO--Figueroa. S--Torres, Van Ostrand.

IP H R ER BB SO

Frederick

Beato 5 3 1 1 2 1

Perez 2 0 0 0 3 5

Martinez 2-3 1 0 0 0 0

Thall 1 1-3 0 0 0 2 0

Moore L, 0-1 1-3 1 1 1 1 0

Rodriguez 0 1 0 0 0 0

Salem

Hudspeth 5 1-3 4 1 0 1 3

Salamida 1-3 0 0 0 1 0

Abreu 2 1 0 0 0 2

Appell 1 2-3 1 0 0 2 3

Diaz W, 2-2 2-3 0 0 0 0 1

WP--Beato, Salamida, Appell.

Umpires -- Abbott, home; Dudones, bases.

T--2:58. A--1,985.