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CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Sunday Comeback Falls Short; Sox Fall 8-7

May 22, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


Winston-Salem, NC (May 22, 2011)- The Red Sox rallied from seven runs down to inch back within one before ultimately falling short in their quest for a Sunday sweep of the Dash, falling 8-7 in the series finale at BB&T Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. The Dash were able to salvage the final game of the series and keep the Sox one game behind first place Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League Southern Division.

Trailing 8-5 entering the ninth, Justin Collop served up back-to-back one-out homers to Bryce Brentz and Reynaldo Rodriguez to chop the deficit to the slimmest of margins. Ryan Kussmaul then came on and walked pinch hitter Dan Butler. David Mailman pinch-ran and advanced to second on a groundout to third. After a passed ball moved Mailman to third, Zach Gentile walked to put runners on the corners, but Michael Almanzar looked at strike three to end the ballgame and give the Dash the victory.

The Sox comeback started with Salem trailing 8-1 in the top of the sixth. Winson lefty Wes Whisler entered, promptly walked two batters, and hit another to load the bases with nobody out. New pitcher Taylor Thompson gave up a two-run single to Derrik Gibson to draw the Sox back to within five.

An inning later, Mark Wagner smacked a two-run homer off Thompson to cut the lead to 8-5. However, Kussmaul, the sixth pitcher of the day for the Dash, was finally able to shut the door on Salem's bid for a miraculous comeback in the top of the ninth.

The Dash got on the board first for the first time in the series, as Tyler Saladino led off the first with a double, scoring two batters later on a single by Jared Mitchell.

Salem responded in the second as Wagner roped a single to start the frame, advanced to second on a walk to Gentile, and came home on a RBI single by Almanzar three batters later.

Winston-Salem added four unearned runs in the third and scored three more times in the fifth, taking advantage of Kolbrin Vitek's error to open their big lead. Andy Wilkins bashed a two-run double and Nick Cioli launched a two-run homer in consecutive at-bats to surge the Dash ahead 5-1.

Two innings later, Jeremiah Bayer relieved starter Ryan Pressly and was tagged with three runs, two coming on a double by Ian Gac. Ciolli doubled home Gac to make it 8-1.

The 2-6 hitters in the Winston lineup went a combined 9-for-24 in the game with seven runs, four extra base hits, and eight RBI. Conversely, the triumvirate of Brentz, Rodriguez, and Wagner each homered, and went 8-for-13 with four RBI and six runs scored. Brentz has gone deep in both games since earning the promotion from Greenvile. In addition, he has gone yard in three straight games spanning two leagues, having belted a homer in Savannah on Friday night before arriving to Winston-Salem on Saturday.

Starter Ryan Pressly was dealt the loss, as he went just four innings, allowing five runs (only one earned) on seven hits while striking out four. The Dash used six different pitchers in the ballgame, with J.R. Ballinger, who was called up from Low-A Kannapolis earlier in the day, earning the win with three scoreless innings.

The Sox will enjoy a rare off day on Monday before traveling to the Grand Strand to face off with the division-leading Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the first of three on Tuesday. Lefty Chris Hernandez will get the ball for the Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.

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Carolina League Stories from May 22, 2011


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