CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Nearly Perfect: Salem Dominates in 9-1 Win

Published on May 15, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - Salem's first-inning hits outnumbered Myrtle Beach's nine-inning output, and Stolmy Pimentel displayed his considerable potential with six perfect innings on the mound, leading the Red Sox to a 9-1 demolition over the Pelicans on Saturday night at BB&T Coastal Field. The Sox held the Pelicans without a baserunner through the first seven innings, but Gerry Rodriguez' double to lead off the eighth ended the possibility of a no-no. Even still, every Salem batter recorded a hit and four different Sox registered three-hit games as the team finished with a season-high 19 hits.

The offensive eruption began in the first inning, with Salem scoring three times on five separate singles off Pelicans starter Brett Oberholtzer. Sixteen of Salem's 19 hits in the game were singles and Salem had at least one hit in every inning.

In the third, Alex Hassan launched his second homer of the season-both have come against the Pelicans-by belting a two-run blast to give Salem a 5-0 edge. Although Salem pounded Oberholtzer for 12 hits, he limited the carnage to just five runs over his five innings on the mound.

Meanwhile, Pimentel was conducting a pitching symphony. Utilizing his powerful fastball, his knee-buckling curveball, and his deceptive change-up, the righthander from San Cristobal in the Dominican spun six straight 1-2-3 innings. Pimentel struck out four, induced four ground-outs, while landing ten batted balls in his teammates' mitts on the fly. Pelican second baseman Yoel Campesano lofted a fly down the right field line to open the sixth, but Hassan hustled to slide and make the grab on the warning track to preserve Pimentel's perfecto.

Due to pitch count restrictions, the 20-year old was finished after six, giving way to lefty Will Latimer out of the Salem pen. Latimer retired the first three he faced to make it 21-straight set down to begin the game, but Rodriguez' double sliced away and out of reach from Hassan in the right field corner to give the Pelicans their first hit. Myrtle Beach scored once in two innings off of Latimer, while they mustered one hit and no runs off Blake Maxwell, who pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the game.

Salem extended its lead with one in the sixth, two in the seventh, and one in the eighth, jumping to a 9-0 edge before the Pelicans plated their lone run in the last of the eighth. Will Middlebrooks, Ryan Lavarnway, Drew Hedman, and Ryan Dent each finished 3-5, while Lavarnway, Hedman, and Hassan each drove in two runs in the truly team effort with the sticks.

The victory perpetuates the Red Sox' 2010 dominance over the Pelicans, as Salem has won all five meetings this season from Myrtle by a combined score of 46-12. Dating back to 2009, the Red Sox have won nine straight games over Myrtle Beach, including seven consecutive triumphs in Myrtle Beach. Salem improved to 24-12 on the season and remained one game back of the first-place Winston-Salem Dash, who prevailed in their game in Lynchburg on Saturday evening.

The Sox seek to extend their success on Sunday in the series finale, a 3:05 matinee that will pit Brock Huntzinger against Matt Crim. Following the game, Salem will head to Kinston to continue their week-long trip with a four-game series against the Indians that begins on Monday.

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Carolina League Stories from May 15, 2010


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