May 23, 2010 at 6:31 AM
Huntzinger ends Salem skid
5/23 Cup of Coffee: Brock Huntzinger helped Salem snap a five game losing skid Saturday night while Portland dropped a pair and Greenville fell in an extra-inning affair. Pawtucket trailed 5-0 after 2 innings before their game with Durham (TB) was suspended due to rain. They'll continue the game as part of a double header Sunday.
In the first game of a doubleheader that was only slated to go seven, Trenton (NYY) needed ten innings to put away Portland 8-6. With the score level at 5 in the top of the tenth, the Thunder hit a three-run home run off Jason Rice. Ray Chang had an RBI double in the bottom of the frame, but the Sea Dogs couldn't complete the comeback. Stephen Fife allowed 5 runs on 7 hits in 5.0 innings and was relieved by Eammon Portice, who impressed with 4.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball. Ryan Kalish was 3 for 4 with a two-run home run and a double while Chang and Anthony Rizzo each had 2 hits and an RBI. Nate Spears added a solo home run in the loss.
The Sea Dogs didn't fare much better in the second game, falling 3-2 in 7 innings. Yamaico Navarro staked them to a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the third, and Jeremy Kehrt performed well in his first appearance with Portland this year until a three-run home run in the fifth gave Trenton the lead for good. Spears had two more hits and Bryce Cox tossed two innings of scoreless relief.
After losing their last five, Brock Huntzinger and the Salem pitching staff put on an amazing show en route to a 2-0 win over Potomac (WAS). Huntzinger tossed 6.0 scoreless innings, with Will Latimer and Kyle Fernandes shutting the Nationals down to secure the win. Each gave up 2 hits. Mitch Dening had RBI singles in the second and fourth innings to account for the offense. Oscar Tejeda had 3 hits and Alex Hassan had 2 doubles. Drew Hedman added 2 hits in the win.
Zach Gentile had a two-run single in the Drive's five-run eighth inning that tied the score at six but Greenville went 15 innings with Augusta (SF) before dropping a heartbreaker 8-6. Dan Butler was 4 for 6 with 2 doubles and Ronald Bermudez was 3 for 7 with 2 runs scored. Kendal Volz struck out 3 but gave up 4 earned on 9 hits in 5.0 innings, and Jeremiah Bayer gave up 2 runs in 3.0 innings before Dennis Neuman gave the Drive 6.0 stellar innings of relief. The Green Jackets scored 2 off Jordan Flasher in the 15th to win it.
Player of the Night: Brock Huntzinger improved to 4-2 on the season with 6.0 shutout frames for Salem Saturday. Huntzinger has held opponents to 2 earned runs or less in his last 6 starts.