Sports stats



CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Pimentel Improves, But Salem Falls 7-3

July 23, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


Salem, VA - Marcus Lemon went 4-5 with two runs and two RBI, leading the Lynchburg offense to a 7-3 triumph over Salem on Saturday night at LewisGale Field. Sox starter Stolmy Pimentel, demoted after struggling in Double-A, retired the final nine batters he faced but still suffered the loss, falling to 0-3 with Salem as a result of an unearned run charged against him in the top of the first inning. The Hillcats scored four times in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead, pulling away so Chris Masters, who tossed six innings of four-hit, one-run ball, could earn his sixth win of the season.

Pimentel surrendered a leadoff double to Lemon in the top of the first, and the Hillcats had men at the corners with nobody out after Andrelton Simmons' dropped down a bunt single. Pimentel induced a pop-up, collected a strike-out, and created a fly-out to end the inning, but not before an errant pick-off attempt bounced away from first-baseman Miles Head, allowing Lemon to scurry home from third and give Lynchburg a 1-0 lead.

Following a 20-pitch first inning, Pimentel required just 17 more pitches to record perfect second and third innings, setting down nine straight Hillcats to complete his outing. Overall, he tossed 23 of his 37 pitches for strikes over three frames, allowing two hits, one unearned run, and no walks, while striking out two. But he departed with a 1-0 deficit that the Sox could never overcome, saddling him with the defeat when the final out was recorded.

Salem managed very little against Masters, who allowed just two singles and one walk over the first five innings. Salem delivered doubles from Kolbrin Vitek and Bryce Brentz in the last of the sixth to plate a run, but Masters left with a 5-1 edge after six frames, in which he struck out six batters.

The Hillcats broke it open by batting around against Pete Ruiz in the top of the sixth, then added two more against Anatanaer Batista in the top of the eighth. Along with Lemon's four hits, Christian Bethancourt added three hits, while Simmons, Joe Leonard, and L.V. Ware each mustered two hits.

Salem trailed 7-1 heading to the bottom of the ninth, but the first four batters reached give the Sox some hope of a magical finish. Matt Spring crushed a two-run homer to make a 7-3, and Alex Valdez and Miles Head were at first and second with nobody out. But Peter Hissey struck out, and Shannon Wilkerson grinded through a 15-pitch at-bat before ultimately grounding into a 6-4-3 double play to end the ballgame.

Following a day off on Sunday, the Red Sox kick off a seven-game road trip with the first of four in Frederick. First pitch is scheduled for 7 PM, with Drake Britton set to face Jake Pettit in the opener.

Check out the Salem Red Sox Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board...

Carolina League Stories from July 23, 2011


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.

OurSports Central