CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Missed Opportunities Cost Sox in 3-2 Setback

Published on May 11, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Wilmington, DE (May 11, 2011) - For the second straight night, the Blue Rocks only needed to score three runs to defeat the Salem Sox at Frawley Stadium. On Wednesday, the Sox out-hit the Rocks 8-6, but Wilmington swiped a 3-2 victory to hand Salem its third straight defeat, bringing the Sox to 20-10 through 30 games in 2011. The Red Sox had opportunities to tie the game in the late innings, but Salem stranded a runner on third base in both the eighth and ninth to fall short.

Although Salem took an early 1-0 lead on Jeremy Hazelbaker's RBI double in the top of the third, Wilmington starter Noel Arguelles bore down and stymied the Sox in the remainder of his five and two-thirds innings. Arguelles allowed just one run on four hits and earned his second Carolina League win.

The Blue Rocks did not trail for long, as Adrian Ortiz doubled home Joey Lewis in the last of the third to tie it up at one. Wilmington took a 2-1 lead on Carlo Testa's ground-out that plated Deivy Batista.

The Rocks scratched one more run off Salem starter Ryan Pressly in the last of the fourth, with John Whittleman and Juan Graterol each delivering doubles to contribute to Wilmington's 3-1 advantage. Pressly retired the first seven batters he faced and went five innings, surrendering three runs on five hits, suffering his first loss of the season.

Salem sliced the deficit in half when Kolbrin Vitek singled home Hazelbaker with two outs in the eighth, sending Peter Hissey to third. Reynaldo Rodriguez flew out to left, however, to keep the Sox one run back.

The Red Sox bullpen pitched three scoreless innings for the second straight evening, giving Salem a chance to overcome the deficit once more. Shannon Wilkerson's one-out double in the ninth gave the Sox hope, but Michael Almanzar lined to third and Derrik Gibson flew out to center to end the ballgame.

Michael Mariot earned the save for Wilmington, going three and a third in relief of Arguelles. Mariot surrendered four hits, but limited the Sox to just one run in his time on the mound.

The loss marked the first time in 2011 that Salem failed to prevail when scoring the game's first run. The Red Sox had been 14-0 when scoring first prior to Wednesday.

Salem will strive to salvage the final matchup of the mid-week three-gamer on Thursday. Chris Hernandez gets the nod for the Sox opposite Elisaul Pimentel for the Rocks, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35.

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