CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Red Sox Snap Seven-Game Slide with 7-4 Triumph

Published on May 20, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Winston-Salem, NC - Peter Hissey delivered two clutch doubles, driving in a career-high four runs and the Salem bullpen spun five scoreless innings in relief of Junichi Tazawa, helping the Red Sox defeat the Dash 7-4 in front of 6,976 on Friday night at BB&T Ballpark. The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak, and the seven runs scored were the most for Salem in the month of May, eclipsing the previous high of five.

Salem scored the first runs of the game for the first time in six contests by recording their first multi-run inning since the fourth frame of Tuesday's game, a span of 29 innings. In the second inning, Winston-Salem starter Cameron Bayne yielded a leadoff double to Mark Wagner and then loaded the bases with two walks around a sacrifice bunt. After a Jeremy Hazelbaker pop out, Hissey laced his first two-bagger of the game down the left field line to drive in two and give the Sox a 2-0 advantage. Kolbrin Vitek then slapped an infield single to bring home another run. Reynaldo Rodriguez was then walked to reload the bases, but Dan Butler popped out to end the threat.

The Dash quickly responded in the bottom of the second off of Tazawa, who was making his first appearance since September of 2009. Winston-Salem scored four runs off the Japanese righthander, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Nick Ciolli.

In his first rehab start, Tazawa flashed a mixtures of fastball and sharp breaking balls showed, averaging 86 miles per hour with the fastball and topping out at 87. Tazawa went four innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while striking out two and walking a pair.

Both offenses became stagnant through the middle innings until the Sox took advantage of some sloppy pitching in the seventh. Coming on in relief of Bayne, Wes Whisler walked Hazelbaker and Hissey on just nine pitches. The dynamic duo then stole second and third, which proved fruitful, as Whisler delivered a wild pitch enabling Hazelbaker to scamper home from third and tie the game. After a walk to Vitek ended Whisler's outing, Rodriguez grounded into a fielder's choice that saw Hissey tagged out between third and home, but Hissey remained in a rundown long enough that the runners advanced to second and third with one gone. Butler then cashed in with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Hissey from third and putting the Sox back on top at 5-4.

An inning later, the Sox put two on with two out and Hissey again came through by launching a two-run double off the left field wall to bring home two more and give Salem a three-run cushion. Hissey ended up going 2-for-3 with two doubles, driving in a career-high four runs, while also walking twice and stealing his 11th and 12th bases of the season.

That was more than enough for Will Latimer and Anatanaer Batista, who teamed up to blank the Dash over the final five innings. Latimer earned his first win of the year, while Batista struck out four in his two innings to garner his first save of the season.

Despite mustering just five hits, the Sox came out victorious, snapping the longest Salem professional baseball losing streak since 2008 by earning its first win in four attempts this season against Winston-Salem.

The Sox go for the series victory Saturday night at 7:00 PM. Pete Ruiz takes the bump for Salem, opposite Winston-Salem's Joe Serafin.

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Carolina League Stories from May 20, 2011


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