CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Atwood Stymies Red Sox With Seven and Two-Thirds Spectacular Innings

Published on July 25, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Salem, VA - For the fourth straight game, the Red Sox faced a top-of-the-first inning deficit. After bouncing back three days in a row to win three straight, their good fortune ended in a 5-1 loss to Potomac on Saturday evening at Lewis-Gale Field. Three defensive errors and some key missed opportunities caused tempers to boil over as three ejections highlighted the final few innings. Red Sox manager Chad Epperson was tossed with one out in the top of the seventh. Two innings later, Daniel Nava was sent off after taking a called strike three. Moments after that, acting manager and hitting coach Carlos Febles also was ejected by home plate umpire Will Little.

Will Atwood had given up 15 runs in two previous starts against Salem, both back in the first half. On Saturday, Atwood utilized all of his pitches to befuddle Red Sox hitters through seven and two-thirds masterful innings. The Sox only had two hits over the first five innings, and because of two double plays, Atwood saw just the minimum 15 batters over the first five. Salem broke through when Kris Negron drilled an RBI double in the sixth to score Jon Hee from first, but Atwood would settle down and hold the Sox scoreless the rest of the way. Nationals' first round pick Drew Storen, tenth overall in the 2009 draft, tossed the final inning and a third for Potomac.

Kyle Weiland walked Michael Martinez to start the ballgame, an ominous start for the Salem righthander who had compiled a 1.07 ERA over his last nine starts. Martinez moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced over to third on Danny Espinosa's single that put runners at the corners. With Espinosa running, a ground ball from Jesus Valdez scored Martinez to make it 1-0. Later in the inning, Espinosa scurried home on another wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Salem's sloppiness emerged in the top of the third after Martinez opened the frame with a base hit. He stole second and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Espinosa that was fielded by Tim Federowicz and launched down the right field line. Espinosa moved to second on the error on the Red Sox catcher, then to third on Valdez' grounder to first, and the Nationals made it 4-0 when Che-Hsuan Lin dropped a shallow line drive off the bat of Michael Burgess. It was Lin's eighth error of the season and Salem's second of the inning.

Though the Red Sox scored once in the last of the sixth, Potomac plated another unearned tally in the top of the seventh to make it 5-1. Martinez scored for the third time on another throwing error by Federowicz. In the bottom of the seventh, Salem loaded the bases with nobody out against Atwood, but the Nationals lefthander induced a pop-up before striking out consecutive hitters to escape unscathed.

Atwood scattered seven hits over his outing, striking out seven with walking anyone. Storen struck out a pair in his appearance to close the door.

Weiland survived just four innings, yielding four runs (two earned) on six hits, striking out three and walking two. Dave McKae tossed three innings for Salem, allowing just the one unearned run and striking out five. Jason Rice pitched two scoreless innings for Salem in relief as well.

Salem and Potomac will meet for a Sunday rubber match at Lewis-Gale Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05. Bryan Price will get the start for the Sox against the Nationals' Adam Carr as the series between second-half division leaders concludes.

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Carolina League Stories from July 25, 2009


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