CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Salem Red Sox Game Notes

Published on July 2, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


The Salem Red Sox and Frederick Keys play game two of a three game set tonight at 7:00 from Harry Grove Stadium.

Rainy Road Woes: Rain kept the game to just four and a half innings last night, but it was still enough for the Keys to beat the Sox 3-0. And enough to continue the stark contrast of baseball the Sox have played in their home ballpark and on the road. Over the last two months, the Salem Sox have dropped 22 of their last 28 on the road. Salem is 23-17 at home and now 15-25 on the road. Salem was a road killer early in the season, opening with nine wins it the first 12 road games through May 1. Contrastingly, the Sox were 2-5 at home at one point in April, but they've gone 22-12 at LewisGale Field in the last 34 home games. The extremes were illustrated clearly in June, as the Sox went 10-3 at home in June and just 2-11 on the road. Last night's game started a key stretch for Salem with ten of the next 14 games on the road.

Dominant Opposition: Much was made of the four game stretch of starters the Salem Sox faced from June 26th through the 29th, and deservedly so. Morimando, Merritt, Dziedzic, and Binford had com- bined for a combined 2.40 ERA coming into those games. But the reality is the dominance of the opposition on the mound has stretch over Salem's last nine games. Over a nine game stretch dating back to June 23, the Sox nine opposing starters have combined for a 2.35 ERA (14 ER/53.2 IP). Six of the nine starters were quality starts, and it very well could've been seven if not for Brady Wager's day ending after fifth shutout innings last night. Despite the good opposing pitching, Salem has managed a 5-4 record in that stretch, thanks in large part to their own pitching success.

Strength in Arms: Salem's pitching staff has effectively rendered the dominant opposition mute with a dominant stretch of their own. Over the last seven games, the Sox staff has compiled a minuscule 1.83 ERA (12 ER/59 IP). The seven starters allowed just ten earned runs in seven games, posting a 2.41 ERA of their own in the same time span (10 ER/37.1 IP). That ERA might have been even lower if not for Joe Gunkel only throwing four innings last night due to the rain- shortened affair. The starter's success marked an incredible turna- round from the first half-dozen games in the half. Painfully, Salem starters surrendered 34 runs in the six games in the road trip to begin the second half, amassing a 11.62 ERA (34 ER/26.1 IP).

Looking for a Turnaround: Tonight, the Sox will send Cody Kukuk to the hill to try and regain the form he's flashed at times this season. Kukuk finished the month of June with an 19.55 ERA in four June starts, lasting a total of just nine and two thirds in the month (21 ER/9.2 IP). The walk has been Cody's Achilles heel of late, ammassing 19 walks in the 9.2 IP in June. Kukuk has not finished the fourth inning in five starts (May 25th). Despite some struggles of late, Kukuk has remained dominant in the first inning. In ten starts this year, Kukuk has yet to allow an earned run in the first inning. Cody had been quite good to begin his Salem Sox career after his promotion from Greenville on May 3rd. Kukuk held a 2.55 ERA through his first four starts (5 ER/17.2 IP).

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Carolina League Stories from July 2, 2014


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