CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Nationals Swipe Series Opener From Red Sox 5-4

Published on May 21, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Salem, VA - A see-saw series opener finished as a slim 5-4 victory for the visiting Potomac Nationals on Friday night at Lewis-Gale Field, sending the Red Sox to their fifth straight setback. Salem's Ryan Dent took a called third strike with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth to end the game, which was marred by an ultra-scary moment in the seventh inning.

With the Nationals at-bat, Potomac catcher Derek Norris, the #2 prospect in the Washington minor league organization, was hit in the helmet by a Zach Hammes fastball. Norris collapsed in the batters' box and remained motionless for approximately 10 minutes while athletic trainers and other emergency personnel hovered over him. Eventually, he was placed on a stretcher and driven away in an ambulance. According to the team, Norris regained consciousness and has movement in his extremities.

The sobering incident justifiably stole focus from an otherwise tightly contested ballgame. Later in that seventh inning, Potomac's Michael Burgess' smacked an RBI ground-out with the bases loaded to give the Nationals a 5-4 lead that they would not relinquish. Salem's threats of two baserunners in the eighth and three in the ninth both came up empty.

Salem starter Stolmy Pimentel followed up on his six perfect innings last Saturday with five scoreless frames to begin this one, but encountered turbulence in the sixth that knocked him out of the game. With Salem up 2-0, the Nats plated three on a walk and three successive hits, culminating in Tim Pahuta's two-run triple that made it 3-2.

The Sox stormed right back in the bottom of the inning, retaking the advantage with a pair of runs of their own. After Ryan Lavarnway reached on an error by Pahuta, he was at third base with two outs when Bryan Peterson, making his Carolina League debut, cracked a broken-bat infield single to score Lavarnway and tie the game. The ensuing batter, Jon Hee, roped a double down the left field line to score Peterson all the way from first and surge Salem ahead 4-3.

Yet the relentless Nationals took advantage of Salem mistakes in the seventh. The leadoff hitter reached on a passed ball off a strikeout, and the Nats put two aboard after Jose Lozada was plunked. A Boomer Whiting sacrifice moved the runners into scoring position and preceded a walk to Steve Lombardozzi that loaded the bases. That was when, on a 1-1 pitch, the overpowering fastball from Hammes struck Norris in the helmet and hushed the crowd in Salem while medical attention was received. The hit-by-pitch tied the game at four, with Burgess' grounder later in the inning plating the go-ahead tally.

Hammes, promoted from extended spring training on Friday, got tagged with the loss in his Salem debut, giving up two unearned runs on one walk and two hit-by-pitches. Jesse Estrada picked up the win for Potomac, tossing two innings in relief for the Nationals. Martin Beno pitched out of the bases loaded predicament in the ninth to escape with his second save of the year.

Salem and Potomac match up for game two of their series on Saturday evening as Pink in the Park Weekend continues at Lewis-Gale Field. Brock Huntzinger gets the start for the Sox opposite Brad Peacock for the Nationals, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05.

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Carolina League Stories from May 21, 2010


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