Red Sox Creep Within a Game of Kinston for Final Playoff Berth
August 23, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release
Woodbridge, VA (August 23, 2009) - Although the Nationals outscored the Red Sox 26-5 in the three-game weekend series, the Sox earned a 3-1 win in Sunday's doubleheader opener to salvage one of three at Pfitzner Stadium. Potomac walloped Salem 11-0 on Friday night and then belted the Red Sox 14-2 in the second game on Sunday.
Considering the Nationals offense teed off on pretty much everyone and made scoring look as easy as it could be, double kudos should be served to Seth Garrison, who got the lone win for Salem with five and two thirds awesome innings on Sunday afternoon. Garrison gave up just one run on three hits, rebounding nicely from his shortest outing of the year seven days ago to lead the Sox to a much-needed win. Derrick Loop recorded the final four outs to earn his 16th save of the season, tied for second most in the Carolina League.
Garrison dueled with Potomac starter Adam Carr through five scoreless innings, but the Sox finally broke through in the sixth when, with two on and two out, Chih-Hsien Chiang cracked a game-changing three-run homer over the right-center field wall. The lone offensive highlight of the series for Salem, Chiang's sixth shot of the season gave the Red Sox a 3-0 lead which they would not relinquish.
Game two on Sunday evoked the similar nightmare that Salem experienced on Friday. The Nats squandered an opportunity in the first inning when they only scored once and stranded the bases loaded, but no such missed chances would plague Potomac the rest of the way. The Nationals scored a half a dozen times off of Jose Capellan in the second inning, utilizing two walks, two bunt singles, an error, and a three-run homer from Devin Ivany that made it 7-0 after two frames.
After three innings, the Nationals led 10-0, scoring three more off Capellan in a frame that included a two-run bomb from shortstop Danny Espinosa, his second round-tripper of the series. All in all, the Nationals hit seven homers in the three-game set against the Red Sox. Jason Blackey replaced Capellan in the fourth and struggled in his returned to the mound, yielding four runs on four hits and two walks over two innings on the hill.
Nationals starter Trevor Holder was grateful for the 14 runs over the first four innings and shut out the Red Sox over five shutout frames of his own. Holder improved to 2-1 and three Nats relievers combined to go the rest of the way. Salem scored a pair with two outs in the top of the last to avoid being shutout for the second time in the series.
Salem heads back home for a pivotal eight-game in seven-day homestand against the Winston-Salem Dash and the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Only trailing Kinston by one game for the wild card spot, the Sox open things up with a 7:05 matchup with the Dash on Monday night. Kyle Weiland starts for Salem, while Anthony Carter goes for Winston.
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Carolina League Stories from August 23, 2009
- Pelicans Closing In On Another Attendance Record - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Frederick's Jacobson Walks Four in Decisive Tenth Inning - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash Split Doubleheader and Weekend Series with Hillcats - Winston-Salem Dash
- McSwain Tosses Complete Game Shutout in Game two Win - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Myrtle Beach Wins Rubber Game in Ten Innings - Frederick Keys
- Red Sox Creep Within a Game of Kinston for Final Playoff Berth - Salem Red Sox
- Potomac Pummels Sox in Game Two to Split DH - Potomac Nationals
- Wilmington Pitching Stifles Kinston Offense - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- The K-Tribe Drops Both Games to Wilmington - Kinston Indians
- Hillcats Game Notes for August 23 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Dash Brief Game Notes for August 23 - Winston-Salem Dash
- Kinston's final homestand of the season this Monday through Sunday - Kinston Indians
- P-Nats Game Notes for August 23 - Potomac Nationals
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