CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Salem Red Sox Game Notes

Published on May 24, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


The Salem Sox begin a week-long road trip on Friday evening in Frederick... First pitch at 7:00...

Scuffling Sox: After winning the opening two games of their homestand, the Sox finished poorly by losing three straight, avoiding the series finale because of Mother Nature's cruel arrival after Thursday's game one. But the 7-4 setback last night sent the Sox to 19-24 on the year, matching a season-worst five games below .500. In returning to Harry Grove Stadium on Friday night, the Red Sox will be looking to win there for the first time this year. Salem lost three straight in Frederick on the Opening Weekend of the season. Frederick and Myrtle Beach are the only two venues in the league where Salem has not won. The Red Sox dropped all four games in their initial trip to Myrtle Beach from May 10 to May 14.

The Blair Pitch Project: Catcher Carson Blair only played in one of the seven games of Salem's last week-long road trip, going 1-for-3. But in the recent homestand, the Sox rode Blair's hot bat. He started the first four games, twice as the catcher and twice as the DH, and he's reached base at a ridiculous rate. In his last four games, Blair has gone 7-for-12 with four walks, reaching base an amazing 11 times in 16 plate appearances. This four-game stretch has raised his batting average from .214 to .325, which would be tied for second in the league if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. In addition, his .460 OBP for the year would be second in the league if he qualified.

Locked In Like Usual: Third baseman Garin Cecchini was up to his old tricks on Thursday, reaching base three times in Salem's 7-4 loss to Winston. Cecchini has reached safely in 27 of his last 28 games, a stretch in which he's hitting .406 with a .533 OBP. Since April 18, Cecchini's on-base percentage is the best in all of minor league baseball, with only two other players joining him with OBPs over .500. For the full season, Cecchini's .374 clip is 49 points higher than the second-best average in the league that qualifies on the leaderboard. His .640 slugging percentage is 86 points better than the second best, and his .479 OBP is 77 points better than the next best.

Can Coyle Connect? YES HE CAN!: Sean Coyle hammered nine home runs in his first 69 at-bats this season, taking Chris Beck deep twice on May 4. But since then, Coyle had gone homerless in his last 13 games, spanning 50 at-bats, without going yard. That changed on Thursday when Coyle saw Beck again. After a 53 at-bat drought, Coyle sent another solo blast over the fence in left for his first homer in 19 days and his 10th round tripper of the season. Coyle is second in the league in homers behind Robbie Hefflinger.

The Ultimate Weekend: Salem Red Sox Radio Broadcaster Evan Lepler is not accompanying his team to Frederick. Instead, Lepler will be in Madison, Wisconsin to serve as the color analyst for ESPN's coverage of the 2013 College Ultimate National Championships. Andrew Kanell, a recent graduate of Syracuse University and an up and coming play-by-play announcer, will fill in for the four games that Lepler misses. Kanell was the radio broadcaster for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod League in 2012.

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Carolina League Stories from May 24, 2013


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