CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Dening Leads Salem Past Myrtle Beach 5-4

Published on July 26, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Salem, VA (July 26, 2010)- Mitch Dening tied a season-high with four base hits and recorded two outfield assists, including cutting down a runner at the plate in the fifth inning, as the Salem Red Sox defeated the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 5-4 in front of 4,219 fans at Lewis-Gale Field on Monday night. The victory was the 13th in 15 games for the Sox against their South Carolina rivals.

Dening's four hits included a leadoff double in the bottom of the first that sparked a three-run rally to overcome an early 1-0 deficit. Three batters later, Will Middlebrooks drove in Dening to knot the game at one. Still with two outs, Middlebrooks came home on a Tim Federowicz single, while Alex Hassan, who had walked with two away, scored on a double from Dan Butler to put Salem up 3-1 after one.

After Jordan Kreke's RBI single in the third brought the Birds to within 3-2, Dening played a key role in another rally with his third hit of the game in the fourth. The Sox right fielder singled with two outs to move Jon Hee to second, and Peter Hissey came through with a single to right to score Hee and put the Sox up 4-2.

Dening's fine night extended to his defense. With two outs in the fifth and Dan Nelson on first, former Salem Sock Mike Jones doubled off the wall in right. Dening originally misjudged the ricochet off the wall, but recovered by unleashing a cannon to the plate to nab Nelson trying to score for the final out of the frame. The Australia-native also threw Nelson out in the seventh, as the Pelican third baseman attempted to extend a single into a double but was denied on a perfect strike from Dening in right.

Luis Sumoza singled home Kreke in the sixth to bring Myrtle back within one, but the Sox responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth off Pelican reliever Paul Clemens to regain their two-run advantage. Clemens unleashed three wild pitches in the frame, the second of which scored Dening, who had reached on an error with one out.

Kreke scored his second run of the game on a sac fly in the eighth, but the Pelicans could get no closer, as Pat Ryan worked in and out of trouble in the final 1.2 innings, eventually stranding the tying run in the ninth at second. Ryan recorded his first save of the season in the process.

Dening's four-hit effort led the Sox' 12-hit attack and increased his average eight points from .286 to .294. Hissey, Federowicz and Butler all recorded two-hit games and drove in one run apiece.

Caleb Clay was solid for the Sox en route to his fourth victory of the year. Clay went five and a third innings, yielding three runs on nine hits, while striking out three and walking just one.

The Sox and Pelicans continue their three game set at Lewis-Gale Field Tuesday at 7:05 PM. Stolmy Pimentel, coming off back-to-back seven inning starts, will look to continue his impressive streak against Myrtle's Zeke Spruill.

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Carolina League Stories from July 26, 2010


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