Price turns in gem for Greenville in extra-innings victory

5/8 Cup of Coffee:

You can't stop the Paw Sox, you can only hope to contain them. Driven by 13 hits and a good outing from Enrique Gonzalez, Pawtucket rolled 8-1 over Toledo to complete the four-game series sweep. Gonzalez (4-1) went the first 6.2, giving up 1 earned run on 9 hits. He struck out 7 and did not walk a batter. Jose Vaquedano fired a scoreless inning of work, striking out 1, and Billy Traber finished things off with 1.1 scoreless of his own. Four Red Sox had multiple-hit games, led by Travis Denker, who went 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Iggy Suarez went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI, Jeff Corsaletti went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, and Paul McAnulty went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI. Angel Chavez also had a good night, hitting his second home run in as many games, a two-run shot in the third inning.

Binghamton scored early and often, and despite a valiant comeback attempt, Portland fell 9-7. Blake Maxwell (0-2) started for the Sea Dogs, pitching 5.0 innings giving up 6 earned runs on 8 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2. Justin Hedrick gave up 3 earned runs of his own in 1.2 on 3 hits and a walk before Chad Rhoades finished things up with 1.1 scoreless frames. Aaron Bates was once again the hitting star for Portland, going 4 for 5 with a double and 2 RBI out of the clean-up spot. Ryan Khoury started at third base and led off, going 2 for 4 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI, a walk and a run scored. Juan Apodaca also had a multiple-hit game, going 2 for 5 with a run scored.

In the first of two games against Kinston, Salem managed only 2 hits, losing 7-0 in seven innings. Eammon Portice (1-3) got the start and got hit hard, allowing 5 earned runs on 10 hits in 4.2 innings, although he did manage to strike out 7 Indians. Josh Papelbon pitched the final 2.1, giving up 2 earned runs on 4 hits, striking out 3. Ty Weeden and Jon Hee each went 1 for 2 with a walk to account for the all the offense for Salem.

Game two, also a seven-inning affair, didn't go much better, with Salem falling 4-3. Kyle Weiland started and went the first 4.0 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4. He was relieved by Kyle Fernandes, who went the next 2.2 innings but was pulled in favor of Derrick Loop with two outs in the top of the seventh inning after allowing the tying run to reach base. Loop (1-2) promptly gave up a two-run home run to the first batter he faced, Kinston's Matt McBride, to take the blown save and the loss. Ryan Kalish continued to flex his power stroke, going 1 for 4 with a two-run home run in the sixth. Jason Place went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Zak Farkes also had 2 hits, going 2 for 3.

Greenville gave up a three-run lead in the ninth but went on to win in the twelfth, eclipsing Savannah 6-5. Bryan Price turned in a gem of a start, going the first 6.0 innings giving up only 1 unearned run on 2 hits. He struck out 8 and did not walk a batter. Mitch Herold went the next 2.0 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 3 hits, striking out 2. Lance McClain entered the game with a three-run lead in the ninth, only to surrender that lead by allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits in 0.2 innings. He was rescued by Felix Ventura (1-1), who recorded the final out in the ninth and went 3.1 scoreless innings in all to record the win. The Drive pounded out 14 hits in this one, led by Michael Almanzar, who went 3 for 6 as the Greenville designated hitter. Tim Federowicz went 2 for 6 with a solo home run and 2 runs scored, while David Mailman also went 2 for 6 with an RBI. Anthony Rizzo also had a two-hit game, going 2 for 5.

Player of the Night: Bryan Price, who went 6.0 innings giving up only 1 unearned run on 2 hits, striking out 8 in Greenville's win over Savannah.

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