April 10, 2010 at 6:05 AM
Salem splits marathon doubleheader
4/10 Cup of Coffee: Pawtucket was rained out Friday evening, leading to the game being rescheduled as a doubleheader on Saturday. Adam Mills was scheduled to make the start, but instead will start the second half of today's twinbill, while Daisuke Matsuzaka will start the first game today at 1:05 pm.
In the Sea Dogs game, Chih-Hsien Chiang tied it up at 5 with a solo home run in the top of the eighth, but Bryce Cox gave up a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame as Reading downed Portland 7-5. Reading jumped out to a 3-1 lead after two, but the Sea Dogs bounced back with three of their own in the top of the third, thanks in part to an RBI double by Lars Anderson and a run scoring Yamaico Navarro single. The Phillies evened it up in the fourth and pulled ahead in the seventh before Chiang went deep. Ryne Miller started for the Sea Dogs, striking out 8 in 5 innings. He gave up four runs and walked just two, and Tommy Hottovy allowed 1 run, striking out 2 in 2 innings. Anderson was 2 for 5 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI, and Navarro went 2 for 4 with a walk. Outfielder Ryan Kalish left the game in the eighth inning with an apparent shoulder injury.
In a continuation of last night's suspended game, a two-run Oscar Tejeda double in the top of the ninth pushed Salem to a 6-4 win over Potomac. Tim Federowicz went 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles and Pete Hissey was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored. Jeremy Kerht took over for last night's starter Stolmy Pimentel, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. Kyle Fernandes got the win in relief, pitching the final 3 innings and giving up just 1 run.
The second game of the Salem doubleheader was only slated to go 7, but Potomac needed twice that to top Salem 2-1 in 14 innings. Will Latimer was the hard-luck loser, giving up a walk-off single to Nick Arata with one out in the fourteenth. Latimer combined with relievers Blake Maxwell and Leandro Marin for 8.1 scoreless innings before allowing the game winning run, and starter Brock Huntzinger threw 4.2 innings of 1-run ball himself. Potomac's pitchers, including position players Nick Moresi and Robert Jacobsen, held the Sox to 1 run and just 7 hits on the night. Ryan Lavarnway had two doubles, the only Salem player with more than one hit.
In South Atlantic League Action, Greenville threatened with runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Ken Roque struck out swinging and the Drive went on to fall to Delmarva 3-2. Drake Britton started for the Drive and took the loss, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits. He walked 4 and struck out 3. Kendall Volz struck out 3 in 4 innings of piggyback relief. Chris McGuiness was 3 for 4 with a walk and Reymond Fuentes went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Drive, who collectively had just 1 hit in 12 chances with runners in scoring position.
Player of the Night: Oscar Tejeda, whose 2-run double secured the system's only win of the evening as Salem beat Potomac 6-4 in the first game of their doubleheader. Tejeda was 2 for 5 with 2 RBI and a run scored.