CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Sox Sneak Past Keys, 5-4

Published on April 17, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Fireworks were shot off postgame, but in the bottom of the ninth, Salem closer Jason Blackey ensured that a capacity crowd of 6,281 Frederick fans would not have double reason to celebrate. Pitching around a quirky leadoff triple that nearly was caught and nearly was foul, Blackey pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out Matt Tucker with both the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Blackey's second save of the season preserved Salem's fourth victory, as the Red Sox prevailed 5-4.

Lefthanded Dominican Jose Capellan picked up the victory despite a rocky start that saw the first four Keys batter reach base in the bottom of the first inning. Two runs scored, but a different pitcher would emerge after that. Capellan retired the next 12 batters, pitching into the sixth inning for Salem and allowing just one run after the first.

Offensively, the Red Sox, who only hit one homer during the entire eight game season-opening homestand, were led by a pair of long balls. With two outs in the third, Jason Place connected on a Tim Bascom hanging breaking ball, blasting it over the left field wall to tie the score at two. An inning later, Luis Exposito crushed a similar pitch down the left field line to give the Sox a 3-2 edge, a lead they would not relinquish.

Ryan Kalish, DHing for Salem, went 3-4 with two doubles and scored two key runs in the fifth and the seventh to keep the Sox on top. Kalish also drew his 12th walk of the season in nine games, far and away the most in the Carolina League through a week and a half.

Frederick hung tough into the late innings with Matt Tucker and Chris Vinyard each blasting solo homers in the sixth and eighth innings, respectively, to keep the Keys right in it. Trailing 5-4 headed to the last of the ninth, the Keys chances looked great when Waring tripled off Place's glove down the right field line. The ball clipped off the glove of the sprinting place right as he collided with the foul territory wall that intersects with the foul pole and the right field wall. But Blackey bore down on the mound, inducing a shallow fly to center and an infield grounder, neither of which could score Waring from third. When Tucker whiffed on the 0-2 curveball, the Red Sox had their third consecutive one-run victory over Frederick.

The series resumes Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM at Harry Grove Stadium, with Salem's Seth Garrison opposing Frederick's Sean Gleason.

Check out the Salem RidgeYaks Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from April 17, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central