CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Federowicz Grand Slam Propels Salem in 11

Published on June 8, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Salem, VA (June 8, 2010) - As improbable as Monday night's walk-off victory was, Tuesday night managed to top it. Tim Federowicz launched a two-out walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 11th inning off Lynchburg's Andrew Bowman as the Sox won their fifth in a row, 10-6 over the Hillcats at Lewis-Gale Field. The round-tripper capped off a five-run outburst in the 11th, and completed the third separate comeback of the night for Salem. The Sox faced deficits of 3-1, 5-3, and 6-5 on the evening before finally surging ahead on the last play of the game for the second consecutive night.

Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the 11th, Mitch Dening and Peter Hissey led off with back-to-back singles to start the rally. After Luis Segovia failed to execute a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, a wild play was initiated by a wild pitch. As the ball skipped away from Lynchburg catcher Kevin Coddington, the runners looked to advance. Coddington attempted to throw out Hissey at second, but his throw bounced into center field, allowing Dening to score the tying run with Hissey moving to third. The error was the fifth on the night for Lynchburg, and the second on Coddington behind the plate. Oscar Tejeda and Will Middlebrooks were walked intentionally to load the bases for newcomer Jorge Padron. With only two outfielders and five defenders circling the infield, Padron popped to shallow left. Fortunately, Federowicz came through with the first grand slam of the year for the Sox, sending the remnants of the 2,463 fans into a frenzy. The win was the third walk-off of the season for Salem. The victory also crept the Sox to within three games of first place Winston-Salem, who was shutout by Myrtle Beach.

The 11th inning was a microcosm of the game itself. Kevyn Feiner appeared to win it for Lynchburg in the top of the frame with his first Carolina League homer of the season, a solo shot to left field, but Bowman (1-3) couldn't hold the Sox down in the bottom half of the inning.

For the second time in as many nights, the Sox rallied in the ninth against the ‘Cats bullpen. Trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Dent got the rally started with a one-out solo shot to left to slice the Lynchburg lead in half. After Dening grounded to second for the second out, Hissey laced a single to left to give Salem a chance. Designated hitter Ryan Lavarnway came through in the clutch with a double to the right-center field gap that easily brought home the speedy Hissey with the tying run. Segovia then pinch-ran for the slow-footed Lavarnway at second as the potential winning run. Tejeda came up and chopped a ball behind third that third baseman Alex Buchholz snagged, but instead of throwing to first for the final out of the inning, Buchholz caught Segovia rounding too far around third, and induced a pickle that resulted in the last out of the inning.

Tuesday's triumph became the first victory in the five-game streak in which Salem scored the game's first run. With two outs in the first, Middlebrooks lined a single to right that plated Hissey from second.

Salem starter Fabian Williamson was unable to hold the one-run advantage, as the Hillcats scored twice in the third to take the lead. After Lynchburg loaded the bases with one out, Buchholz walked to force in the first run, and Carlos Mendez grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in the second run of the frame. Josh Fellhauer extended the Hillcat lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a one-out double that scored Feiner.

The Sox halved the Lynchburg lead in the bottom half of the fourth. With Tejeda on second and Padron on first, Coddington attempted to pick off Padron, but the throw went into right field, allowing Tejeda to come around from second to make it 3-2. Salem tied the game in the sixth as Federowicz singled in Middlebrooks, who doubled to lead off the inning.

Lynchburg retook the lead in the seventh as Coddington made up for his fourth inning error with a double to left that scored Fellhauer, who reached on an error by Padron to start the frame. The ‘Cats regained their two-run lead in the eighth on a solo homer from Neftali Soto off of Salem's Blake Maxwell

Federowicz finished the night with a bang, going 2-for-5 with his third home run of the season and a career-high five RBI. Six Salem hitters finished with two hits, including Dent, Lavarnway and Middlebrooks, who each added an RBI. Lance McClain (1-2) picked up his first win of the season despite allowing the homer to Feiner in the top of the 11th.

The Sox will look for the wild three-game sweep against their 460 rivals on Wednesday night at 7:05. Caleb Clay will take the bump for Salem against Lynchburg's Brad Boxberger.

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