CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Salem Red Sox Game Notes

Published on May 13, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


The Salem Red Sox are looking to salvage the final game of their series against Myrtle Beach, seeking to avoid a four-game sweep.

First pitch at 7:05.

The Diamond in the Rough: As far as weeks go, the last one was forgettable for the Red Sox as a team. After having Monday off, the Sox won on Tuesday and did not win again, finishing 1-5 with five straight setbacks. While three of the five losses were by one run (and the other two were by three and four runs), the Sox ability to keep it close did not generate victories. With all that said, Salem third-baseman Garin Cecchini was still named the Carolina League Player of the Week for his individual performance. In his last six games, Cecchini hit .389 (7-for-18) with three walks and one HBP for a .500 OBP. No one in the league had more extra-base hits than Cecchini, who delivered three doubles and two home runs. The Louisiana-native is now a two-time Carolina League Player of the Week recipient, having won the award for the week of April 22-28 as well. For the season, Cecchini's .376 average is far and away the best in the league, 45 points better than Carolina's Francisco Lindor, who's in second. Cecchini's also number one in OBP, slugging, and extra-base hits.

One Jump Ahead: On Sunday afternoon, the Red Sox scored first for the second straight game and the 22nd time in 33 games this season. But once again, taking an early lead proved inconsequential in Salem coming out on top. Despite scoring first in nearly two-thirds of their games, the Red Sox are just 11-11 when doing so. In fact, while the Sox have played two fewer games than most of the league, Salem has still scored first in more games than anybody; however, everybody else is above .500 when striking first. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, seeking their seventh straight win overall tonight, are a league-best 16-3 when scoring the game's first run.

The Cave of Wonders: It is simultaneously amazing and disconcerting to note that of Salem's 19 losses this season, five have been in walk-off fashion. In 2012, the Sox only lost in walk-off style three times all season. The Red Sox were walked off upon twice on opening weekend, falling to Frederick on April 6 and 7. The month of May also began with consecutive walk-off losses, with Salem dropping back-to-back heartbreakers in Wilmington on May 1 and 2. The Red Sox fifth walk-off setback came on Saturday in Myrtle Beach, although for the first time it was not immediately followed by another walk-off loss. The Pelicans scored two in the seventh on Sunday to take a 4-3 lead, which would not be relinquished.

A Whole New World: Salem second-baseman Sean Coyle was as hot as any hitter in the league for a stretch. He hit eight home runs in 12 games from April 12 to May 4, despite missing a bunch of time with a thumb injury. And while he has not homered in his last seven games, he still leads the league with nine jacks on the season, tied with 10 others for sixth-best in all of minor league baseball. But in his last seven games, Coyle has seen his average dip from .324 to .242, a 82-point plummet as a result of his current 1-for-28 skid. Coyle still is second in the league in slugging percentage (.586), trailing only teammate Garin Cecchini. Although he has nine homers, he only has 18 RBI, largely a result of the fact that eight of his nine homers have been solo shots.

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Carolina League Stories from May 13, 2013


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