CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Sox Lose Fifth in a Row to Fall Ten Games Below .500

Published on June 10, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


Wilmington, DE (June 10, 2009) - Wilmington scored eight runs in three games to sweep Salem, but in reality, they only needed three. Following up 1-0 and 2-0 scores on Monday and Tuesday, the Blue Rocks scored in excess on Wednesday in their third straight blanking of the Red Sox, winning 5-0 at Frawley Stadium. On this night, it was Ray Liotta, Jason Godin, and Chris Chavez combining for the shutout as Wilmington's pitching staff extended its consecutive scoreless innings streak to 38. Offensively, Salem has not scored a run in 30 consecutive innings, and it has been 37 innings since the Red Sox last earned a run in the eighth inning on Saturday.

First-round draft pick Casey Kelly encountered a rocky first inning, in which the Blue Rocks scored three times, including a two-run homer by David Lough. Kelly did strike out the side in the first (three of his four strikeouts on the night), but had dug the Sox a hole they could not emerge from. Kelly did settle down, allowing just one more run over the next four innings, giving way to the bullpen after five frames. Kelly allowed four runs on six hits and did not walk anybody for the second straight start.

Salem's offensive drought persisted as Ray Liotta shined in spot start duties, allowing just one hit over five innings. Liotta retired the final seven batters he faced and earned his second win of the season. Meanwhile, the Blue Rocks bullpen extended their own scoreless innings streak to 30.1 innings as Jason Godin and Chris Chavez each tossed two goose eggs for the Rocks. Trailing 5-0, the Red Sox did load the bases in the top of the eighth on a single, an error, and a walk, but a fly to shallow right and a double play grounder to second helped the Blue Rocks escape unscathed. Wilmington used double-play grounders in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to exterminate Salem threats and preserve the shutout.

Zach Borowiak recorded two of Salem's four hits, all singles, as the Red Sox fell to 2-8 in the month of June. The Blue Rocks got two hits apiece from Derrick Robinson, Jeff Bianchi, and David Lough, with the Lough first inning homer being the decisive jack in the ballgame. Wilmington, who had trailed Lynchburg by nine games in the Northern Division after game one of their twinbill on Saturday, now have won six in a row and could be as close as 4.5 games within the first-place Hillcats if Frederick tops Lynchburg on Wednesday evening.

The Red Sox fall to ten games below .500 for the first time this year, and at 25-35 with 10 games remaining in the half, Salem drops seven games behind Winston-Salem in the Southern Division.

Following an off-day on Thursday, the Sox return to Lewis-Gale Field for the final homestand of the half. Salem will host division-rivals Myrtle Beach and Kinston three games each, beginning on Friday night at 7:05 against the Pelicans.

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Carolina League Stories from June 10, 2009


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