CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Nationals Squeak Past Red Sox 9-8

Published on April 23, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Salem, VA (April 23, 2011) - J.P Ramirez launched a solo homer with two outs in the ninth, breaking an 8-all tie and paving the way for Potomac's narrow 9-8 victory in front of 4,329 on Saturday night at LewisGale Field. The Nationals overcame a pair of three-run deficits-4-1 and 8-5-to earn their fourth win in their last six games. The Red Sox pounded 11 more hits, including Dan Butler's first inning grand slam, but never scored after the fifth as Potomac's bullpen quieted the Salem offense down the stretch.

Butler's slam-the first Carolina League granny of the 2011 season-gave Salem an early 4-1 lead, but the Nationals responded immediately with four more runs off Pete Ruiz in the top of the second. Nationals catcher Sandy Leon continued his offensive surge with an RBI double, one of this three hits in the ballgame to lead Potomac.

The Nats led 5-4 after two, only to see the Red Sox plate three in the third off Potomac starter Marcos Frias. The Sox chased Potomac's Dominican righthander in just three innings, scoring seven runs in six hits and four walks against Frias. David Mailman and Derrik Gibson each delivered doubles in the third inning, but Salem had two runners thrown out on the bases-Butler at home and Gibson at third-to minimize the Red Sox eruption.

Up 7-5, the Sox added one in the fifth, but once again squandered an opportunity to score more. Michael Almanzar doubled home Reynaldo Rodriguez from first base and Salem led 8-5 with runners at second and third with one away. Both runners were stranded, though, and the Sox would not score again.

Potomac rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh against Salem reliever Mitch Herold. A leadoff walk and three hits hurt Herold, evening the game at eight. The Nats had the go-ahead run at third base with two outs, but Kendal Volz came on to strike out J.R. Higley and escape.

Volz wiggled out of a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth to preserve the eight-all tie, but Ramirez, who had gone just 1-for-13 thus far in the series, blasted the two-out bomb in the ninth to put the Nats on top for good.

Kolbrin Vitek chipped in with two more hits for Salem, including one with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to bring the winning run to the plate. Rodriguez smacked a hard shot toward the middle, but Nationals shortstop Jose Lozada made a diving snag and flipped it to second for the force-out, ending the ballgame. It was the only time all night that Potomac retired Rodriguez, who finished 2-3 with two walks and three runs scored.

Salem now aims to salvage a split of the four-game series with Potomac on Sunday. Ryan Pressly is lined up to make his third Carolina League start against Nationals righthander Alex Caldera, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:05.

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Carolina League Stories from April 23, 2011


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