Hawaiian Infielder Totals Three Hits, Two Runs as Salem Takes Rubber Game
July 23, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release
Salem, VA (July 23, 2009) - While falling behind early is not a desired start, the Red Sox resiliency has proven pivotal in consecutive victories over Frederick. On Wednesday, Salem trailed 4-0 before they had a chance to hit, but battled back to win 8-5. Again on Thursday, the Red Sox responded to a 2-0 deficit in the top of the first, scoring one in their half of the first, two in the second, and one more in the sixth to garner the series finale 4-2 and preserve the first Carolina League victory for Stephen Fife. After Frederick scored a pair on three hits and an error off Fife in the first, the righthander retired the next 10 batters in a row and 16 of the next 18 to stifle the Keys offense.
The Salem attack was led by Jon Hee, who recorded three singles and scored twice in his first game back with Salem after he was recalled from Greenville. The Hawaiian third baseman, playing in front of his parents who made the journey from Honolulu via Greenville, was helped by teammate Kris Negron, who went 2-4 with an RBI triple. Combined, Hee and Negron, from the two bottom spots in the batting order, went 5-8 with three runs scored in the Salem victory that pulled the Sox back above .500 for the full season at 48-47. Mike Jones also chipped in with two hits and an RBI for the Sox.
Fife struck out seven Keys in five and two thirds innings without walking anyone, further continuing his trend of superb control. In ten starts between the Drive and Red Sox, Fife now has compiled 47 strikeouts and only four walks. In his two starts with Salem, Fife has 12 Ks, no walks, and a 1.54 ERA.
Robert Coello dazzled out of the Salem bullpen, retiring all seven batters he faced. He whiffed the first four to step in, striking out the side in the seventh, and finished the night with five strikeouts. Closer Derrick Loop pitched the ninth to record his 14th save and second in as many nights. Loop's inning included his league-leading 16th pick off of the season. After Ryan Adams singled to begin the ninth, Loop quickly erased the baserunner on his second throw over to first.
The Keys jumped on the Red Sox early when Tyler Henson's bases-loaded grounder snuck inside the third base bag and continued into the left-field corner for a two-run double. Two runners remained in scoring position with one out, but Fife induced a pop-up from Adams and a ground-out from Wally Crancer to strand a pair and keep the Keys to just two runs. It would be their only offense of the night off Salem pitching.
Never again did a Keys baserunner advance to third. In six of the next eight innings, only three Keys would come to the plate.
The victory secures at least a split of the season series with Frederick, as the Sox have won 10 of the first 17 meetings of the year with the Keys. The two teams reunite this coming Monday at Harry Grove Stadium, a location where the Red Sox have won five of seven games this year, for the final three meetings of the regular season.
In the meantime, Salem will host Potomac beginning Friday night at Lewis-Gale Field in a battle of division-leaders. At 16-10, the Red Sox lead the South by two and a half games over Winston-Salem, while Potomac was 17-9 entering play on Thursday, leading Frederick by three and a half in the North. Seth Garrison will oppose Terrence Engles in the series opener, with the first pitch set for 7:05 PM.
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