CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Salem Red Sox Game Notes

Published on May 4, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


Luis Diaz takes the mound for Salem on Sunday afternoon, with the Sox seeking a series split in Lynchburg... First pitch at 2:05...

Seeking a Sunday Split: The Salem Sox look to avoid what would be just their second three-game losing streak of the season as they pursue a split of the four-game series in Lynchburg on Sunday afternoon. The Sox handed the Hillcats their ninth consecutive loss on Thursday night, but Lynchburg bounced back with a 7-2 win on Friday and a 5-3 triumph last night. The Red Sox are hoping that Luis Diaz can bounce back from his roughest outing of the season. In his last start, Diaz surrendered six runs (five earned) on seven hits in three and two-thirds innings. In his previous four starts, Diaz had permitted just four runs (two earned) for a 1.00 ERA.

Iron Man Johnson: With Ryan Dent sitting out Saturday's game, Matty Johnson becomes the only Salem Sock to have played in every single contest so far this year. Johnson has served as Salem's leadoff hitter in 27 straight games heading into Sunday afternoon, and only Myrtle Beach's Joey Gallo has also played 27 heading into today's action. The Red Sox went 9-3 in the midst of Johnson's 12-game hitting streak from April 17 to May 1, but the Sox are winless the past two days, in part because Johnson has only reached base once, going 0-for-9 with a walk.

Need Reed: Second Baseman Reed Gragnani has been the centerpiece of Salem's offense in the last couple weeks, raising his batting average to a league-best mark of .389 with hits in each of his last five games. In addition, Gragnani has scored eight runs in the last five games and 12 runs in the last eight games. The former UVA standout has recorded hits in 16 of his 19 games played, with multiple hits in 10 of those contests. The switch-hitter has produced against all pitchers, batting .333 against lefties and .400 against righties. His .389 clip is 26 points superior than Royce Bolinger's, who's #2 in the league.

April Anecdotes: For the sixth straight season, the Salem Red Sox completed April with a winning record! The Sox went 14-10 in April of 2014 after going 12-11 last year, 12-10 in 2012, 16-5 in 2011, 14-7 in 2010, and 11-10 in April of 2009. All together, since becoming a Red Sox affiliate, the Sox have gone 79-53, a .598 winning percentage in the first month of the season. The defending Carolina League Champs began 2014 with five consecutive wins, lost seven of their next eight, then won seven of the next eight before dropping two out of three against the Dash to finish the month on Monday.

Twice the Chances: Two seven-inning games gave Mookie Betts a shorter window to keep his consecutive games on base streak rolling, but it didn't matter. The former Salem second-baseman reached in both games and now has reached base in 25 straight games to begin the season for the Sea Dogs. Considering that he reached safely in the final 35 games of 2013 for the Salem Sox, including the playoffs, he has now recorded at least a hit or a walk in 60 consecutive games dating back to last August. In these 60 games between Salem and Portland, Betts is hitting .412 (96-for-233). In 22 games with the Sea Dogs, Betts is hitting .406 (43-for-106) with 15 extra-base hits, 11 walks, 12 steals, and only nine strikeouts. Betts has helped lead Portland to a 16-10 record so far in 2014.

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