One Up, One Down for Salem on Friday Night
August 26, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release
Salem, VA - The Salem Sox journeyed to the brink of a remarkable comeback in Friday's finale, but Peter Hissey was gunned down at the plate on the game's final play, and the Red Sox settled for a split with the Blue Rocks. After twice coming from behind to prevail 7-4 in the resumption of the suspended contest from July 8, the Sox nearly completed the sweep by erasing a four-run deficit in the final three innings in game two. With the bases loaded and one out, the Sox trailed by one when Derrik Gibson lofted a pop fly down the line in right field. Nick Van Stratten made the running catch and uncorked a strike to home plate, where Jared Dyer tagged out Hissey in a bang-bang play. Hissey argued vehemently with umpire Ben Leake, but the stunning outfield assist would stand as a game-ending 9-2 peg, allowing the Blue Rocks to emerge with the slim 6-5 triumph.
In game two, the Blue Rocks utilized four unearned runs, while the Red Sox benefitted from five unearned tallies in the opener. Salem trailed 2-0 when play resumed in the second inning, but Salem outscored Wilmington 7-2 the rest of the way to pick up their 13th July victory. Stolmy Pimentel yielded just two runs on seven hits in five and two-thirds innings out of the Salem pen, striking out six without walking anyone, to earn the victory.
Josue Peley led the Sox offense in the opener, going 2-4 and scoring three runs. David Mailman also added two hits and a walk. Salem capitalized on three crucial Blue Rocks errors to prevail despite getting outhit 11-6.
The Sox bolted to a 2-0 lead in game two, as Bryce Brentz and Jorge Padron each drove in runs in the multi-run first against Justin Marks. Salem would have baserunners in every single frame of the nightcap, but stranded 11 and went just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Ryan Pressly suffered the loss, falling to 6-11, in large part because of the four unearned runs that came home in the second following errors on Gibson and Kolbrin Vitek. Wilmington's Michael Liberto blasted a two-run double that transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead, taking advantage of Salem's costly miscues. The Blue Rocks made it 6-2 in the fourth on Joey Lewis' two-run opposite-field blast off Pressly. Although Pressly lasted six innings, he was charged with six runs (two earned) on eight hits.
Down by four, the Sox chipped away with single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. But Salem's comeback fell a whisker short when the game ended on the fly-ball double-play at the plate. Shannon Wilkerson and Leonel Escobar each went 2-3 in the nightcap for the Sox, while Liberto and Carlo Test led the Blue Rocks with two hits apiece.
Salem and Wilmington reunite on Saturday evening, with major league-rehabber Bobby Jenks scheduled to start for the Red Sox. The two-time American League All-Star will be on the mound opposite Wilmington's Elisaul Pimentel, with the first pitch slated for 6:05.
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Carolina League Stories from August 26, 2011
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