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CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Rodriguez Drives Salem Past Kinston 7-3

April 25, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


Kinston, NC (April 25, 2011) - The Salem Sox kicked off a four-game series by piling up 14 hits in a 7-3 victory over the Kinston Indians on Monday night at Grainger Stadium. The offensive onslaught was keyed by cleanup hitter Reynaldo Rodriguez, who continued his hot streak with three hits and four RBI to pace the Salem lineup. The triumph helped the Sox remain in first place in the Carolina League Southern Division at 12-4, a half game ahead of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, who also won on Monday to improve to 12-5.

Facing highly touted lefty Drew Pomeranz, Rodriguez led off the second inning by crushing an 0-2 fastball for his third home run of the season, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead. The Indians evened the score when Casey Frawley's infield single plated Abner Abreu in the fourth, but the 1-all score would be short lived.

Pomeranz pitched only three innings, and the Salem offense scored four times off Toru Murata in the fifth. Once again, it was Rodriguez proving the powerful swing. After Shannon Wilkerson's bases loaded sac fly gave Salem a 2-1 lead, Kolbrin Vitek singled to load the bases a second time. Then, Rodriguez charged a bases-clearing, three-run double into the gap in left-center field, surging the Sox to a 5-1 advantage.

Salem starter Chris Hernandez surrendered his first earned run of the year, but delivered another solid outing of four innings with just one run on three hits allowed. Relievers Jeremiah Bayer tossed three innings to earn the victory, while Cesar Cabral went two innings to pick up the save, his fourth of the season. Both Bayer and Cabral yielded one run on three hits.

The Sox added two more runs with two outs in the top of the ninth, a rally that was sparked by Rodriguez' third hit of the game. Dan Butler crushed a double to score Rodriguez, and Ronald Bermudez' infield pop-up fell in to bring home Butler and make it 7-2. The K-Tribe scored one in the last of the ninth but never seriously threatened as Cabral closed it out.

Salem and Kinston retake the field on Tuesday for game two of the four-game set at Grainger Stadium, with Drake Britton scheduled to pitch opposite Clayton Cook. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30.

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