Hillcats Top Red Sox 5-3 on Wednesday Afternoon
April 14, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release
Lynchburg, VA (April 14, 2010) - Lynchburg lefthander Matt Fairel no-hit the Red Sox through six scoreless innings to set the tone, and Salem's four hits over the final three innings were not enough as the Hillcats garnered Wednesday's day game 5-3. Fairel nearly tossed six perfect innings, but third baseman Jose Gualdron booted a ground ball off the bat of Ryan Lavarnway in the second inning, the only Red Sock to reach in six frames against Fairel. But despite the error, Gualdron made significant amends with the bat, blasting three doubles in three at-bats and scoring three runs to lead the Hillcat offense.
Through the first four innings, the game appeared to be a pitcher's duel. Though Salem had not registered a hit against Fairel, Red Sox righthander Brock Huntzinger was nearly as strong. Huntzinger held the Cats to just one run on three hits over the first four frames, but the Hillcats began to break it open in the fifth. Lynchburg scored three times, all charged to Huntzinger, as they chased the Salem starter from the game with two outs in the inning. Josh Fellhauer, whose RBI double in the third inning drove in Gualdron for the game's first run, picked up his second RBI with a run-scoring ground-out. Carlos Mendez also picked up an RBI single against Salem reliever Leandro Marin.
Salem's offense finally broke through against the Lynchburg bullpen, scoring twice off Justin Freeman in the seventh inning. Both Anthony Rizzo and Ryan Lavarnway rocketed line drive singles up the middle, and Will Middlebrooks doubled to score one. The second run came home on Mitch Dening's RBI ground-out, but trailing 4-2, Salem left the tying runs aboard.
Lynchburg tacked on an insurance run in their half of the seventh to make it 5-2, and though Salem was able to muster one more in the ninth on another Dening RBI grounder, the Sox offense could not overcome the deficit. Pinch-hitter Oscar Tejeda represented the tying run with two outs in the ninth, but he struck out against Mace Thurman, who picked up his third save for the Hillcats. Tejeda finished 0-1, but his average through six games remains a sensational .500 (9-for-18).
Already guaranteed of a winning road trip to start the year, the 4-2 Red Sox wrap up their season-opening journey with a 6:05 start at Lynchburg on Thursday night. Fabian Williamson seeks a 2-0 mark as he makes his second start opposite Hillcat righthander Curtis Partch.
Following Thursday's series finale, Salem will return to the Roanoke Valley for the Home Opener at Lewis-Gale Field on Friday night when they face the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at 7:05 to kick off a seven-game homestand.
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