April 17, 2010 at 7:26 AM
Lavarnway powers Salem to victory
4/17 Cup of Coffee: A night after his 2 home run, 5 RBI performance was overshadowed by a quartet of outstanding starting pitchers, Ryan Lavarnway shined once again as Salem notched the affiliates' only win Friday evening.
In Salem's home opener, Lavarnway had 5 RBI for the second straight game as the Sox topped Myrtle Beach (ATL) 13-2. Caleb Clay got his first start of the season, but gave up a pair of RBI doubles in the top of the first. Pete Hissey doubled to open up the bottom of the frame and Anthony Rizzo moved him to third with a two-bagger of his own before Lavarnway kept his hot streak going, doubling both in to tie the game at 2. Salem broke it open in the third when Lavarnway's 3-run shot made it 5-2. Salem added 4 more in the next frame, and continued to pile it on in the fifth on an RBI single by Hissey and a Tim Federowicz 3-run home run. Clay settled down after the first, allowing 6 hits and just the 2 first inning runs in 5.0 innings. Kyle Fernandes threw 2.0 innings of 1-hit, scoreless relief, and Blake Maxwell tossed 2.0 scoreless innings himself to end the game. Hissey, Federowicz, Rizzo, Lavarnway, and Will Middlebrooks each had multi-hit games for the winners.
Starter Roman Mendez had another tough outing for Greenville as the Drive fell 12-8 to Lexington (HOU) in 6.5 innings. Mendez gave up 4 runs in the first, but Greenville pulled back with 5 of their own in the top of the second, highlighted by an RBI double by Reymond Fuentes and a 2-run double by Wilfred Pichardo. Lexington scored 2 more runs off of Mendez, who left with no outs in the third having allowed 6 earned runs in 2.0 innings. Pedro Perez replaced Mendez with similar results, allowing 6 runs of his own in 4.0 innings of relief. He gave up 9 hits. Pichardo led the Drive with 2 hits and 2 RBI, and Luis Segovia was 2 for 3 with a solo home run. Fuentes scored 2 runs in the losing effort.
Pawtucket and Portland were both postponed Friday evening. The Sea Dogs return to action at 1:05 tomorrow afternoon against Trenton (NYY), and Pawtucket travels to Rochester (MIN), with the first pitch at 4:05.
Player of the Night: Ryan Lavarnway, who had 5 RBI for the second straight night in Salem's 13-2 win over Myrtle Beach. He was 3 for 5 with a double and a 3-run home run.