Dent Leads Red Sox Past Keys 4-1
August 22, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release
Salem, VA (August 22, 2010) - Batting at the top of the order for just the fourth time all year, Ryan Dent provided the offensive spark to rally the Red Sox over the Keys 4-1 in Sunday's series finale at Lewis-Gale Field. The Salem shortstop went 3-4, falling a triple shy of the cycle, and catapulted the Sox back to the .500 mark in the second half at 26-26. With 16 results still left to determine, the Sox are in the pole position for the final playoff spot in the Southern Division. But Salem will be tested by their two closest competitors in the coming week, as the Sox hit the road for a six-game trip through Myrtle Beach and Kinston.
The Keys took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning against Salem starter Stolmy Pimentel, but the Sox assumed an advantage that they would not relinquish in the third. Dent, who had already singled in his first at-bat, smacked a line-drive homer over the left-field fence to tie the game at one. On the very next batter, Keys lefthander Nathan Moreau served up another dinger, as Alex Hassan curled a deep fly around the foul pole in left to give Salem a 2-1 edge. The round-trippers were Dent's fifth and Hassan's seventh on the year, and the Sox pitching staff would make the runs stand up the rest of the way.
The trio of Pimentel, Cesar Cabral, and Pat Ryan allowed just four hits in the ballgame. Though they tied a season-high with seven walks, Salem's hurlers consistently delivered the clutch pitch when they needed it, forcing the Keys to bat 1-15 with runners in scoring position. Ryan entered with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, but left all three runners aboard by inducing an infield pop-up from pinch-hitter Miguel Abreu.
Pimentel improved to 9-9 with five and two-thirds innings of three-hit ball, surrendering just the one run. Cabral tossed two scoreless innings in relief before Ryan recorded the final four outs to pick up his fourth save. Ryan has not allowed any runs in his last 11 appearances, and his ERA dipped to 0.47.
Salem added insurance tallies in the sixth and seventh innings. Peter Hissey's RBI single plated Tim Federowicz in the sixth, and Oscar Tejeda's base knock scored Ronald Bermudez in the seventh. Federowicz went 2-4 in his first game back in the lineup since August 7, when he suffered a right thumb laceration on a foul ball. The catcher from Apex, NC batted fifth and delivered his 33rd double of the season, third-most in the Carolina League.
Most noteworthy for Frederick was third-baseman Billy Rowell, who went 2-4 with two doubles in his 334th Carolina League game. On Sunday, Rowell passed Cory Keylor for the top spot on the all-time games played list in Keys history. The former first-round pick scored Frederick's only run as the Keys slipped to 27-29 in the second half.
Following Monday's off-day, the Salem Sox journey on their final road trip of the regular season. The action kicks off in Myrtle Beach on Tuesday night, as the Sox seek to improve their 14-3 season series record against the Pelicans. Caleb Clay will throw for the Sox in the opener, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05.
• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board...
Carolina League Stories from August 22, 2010
- Pelicans Drop Rain-Shortened Finale to Tribe - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- K-Tribe Beats Myrtle Beach, Taking Series - Kinston Indians
- Dent Leads Red Sox Past Keys 4-1 - Salem Red Sox
- Rowell Sets Record, Keys Fall 4-1 - Frederick Keys
- Maya Chased, Wild Finish Sends Dash to Series Win - Potomac Nationals
- Wilmington Offense Wakes for with Sunday Slugfest - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- High Drama in 9-8 Dash Win - Winston-Salem Dash
- Cats Fall to Rocks in Finale at Frawley - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
