Hazelbaker drives walk-off victory for Greenville

7/1 Cup of Coffee: The affiliates were mostly locked up in close battles on Wednesday with Pawtucket, Portland and Greenville coming out victorious. Lowell had an adventurous ninth inning and could not hold on to a near certain victory. The story of the evening was not a pleasant one for Salem as they were no-hit at home.

Despite a late rally, Pawtucket held on for a 6-5 victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (NYY). The PawSox got off to a quick start, plating a first inning run thanks to Bubba Bell's sacrifice fly. Expanding their lead in the second, Pawtucket scored four times on a Tug Hulett RBI double and a Juan Apodaca two-run home run. Niuman Romero scampered home on a wild pitch in the fifth to score what would be the eventual winning run. Felix Doubront got the start for the PawSox, going 5.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. Fabio Castro pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh, allowing just 2 hits while punching out 5. Chad Paronto hurled a 1-2-3 eighth inning before trouble arose in the ninth. Tommy Hottovy began the ninth inning with a four run lead, however he would only get two outs as he allowed two runs on a hit and a walk. Fernando Cabrera shut the door by recording the final out of the game, but it did not come easily as he allowed a run on 2 hits and left the tying run on third base. Romero and Ryan Kalish both had two hits to lead the Pawtucket offense

In Portland, a four run fifth inning by the Sea Dogs propelled them to a 7-4 victory over the Harrisburg Senators (WAS). Kyle Weiland picked up his fourth victory of the season as he went 5.0 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits while striking out 6. Santo Luis followed Weiland and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits. Jason Rice allowed two hits in the ninth, but picked up his ninth save. Down 3-0 heading in the third, Portland grabbed a pair on All-Star Ray Chang's RBI double and a Luis Exposito RBI single. The Sea Dogs opened up the game in the fifth, scoring four times thanks to RBI doubles from Exposito, Anthony Rizzo, and Yamaico Navarro and an RBI single from Ryan Khoury. Exposito walked with the bases loaded in the eighth to give Portland an important insurance run. Chang, Exposito, Navarro and Khoury all had two hits to pace the Sea Dog offense. The victory gets Portland back above .500 at 39-38.

Salem was on the wrong side of history Wednesday evening as they were no-hit by the Frederick Keys (BAL), losing 7-0. Miguel Gonzalez got the start for the Red Sox, going 5.0 innings, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 5. Lance McClain followed with 1.2 innings of work in which he allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks. Cesar Cabral was next out of the bullpen and had a rough outing, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits while striking out 2 in his 1.1. innings of work. Will Latimer hurled a scoreless ninth inning while picking up two strikeouts. The real story of the game was Frederick pitcher Nathan Moreau, making his first start with Frederick after being called up from Delmarva, he blanked the Red Sox for nine innings, striking out 6 and walking none. The no-hitter was the first individual no-no in the Carolina League in eight years.

Greenville used a walk-off ninth inning single to down the Savannah Sand Gnats (NYM) 2-1. Manuel Rivera drew the start and was outstanding, tossing 5.0 innings, allowing no runs on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 5. Pedro Perez piggybacked Rivera, picking up the win for his 4.0 innings in which he allowed 1 run on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 6. The Drive jumped out to an early 1-0 lead by getting a Ronald Bermudez RBI single in the bottom of the first. The run would be the only run scored until the ninth when Savannah plated a run to tie the game 1-1. Greenville retaliated in the bottom half of the inning as Jeremy Hazelbaker laced a two-out RBI single to end the game. Hazelbaker was 3 for 5 from the top of the order, stroking a double and two singles while picking up an RBI.

The Spinners blew a five run lead in the ninth and eventually collapsed in the eleventh inning to fall to the Connecticut Tigers (DET) 8-7. Tyler Wilson started the game for Lowell, going 4.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. Garrett Rau followed Wilson and pitched a dazzling 3.2 innings, allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk while punching out 4. The Spinners struck first as Bryce Brentz roped an RBI single in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Lowell picked up three in the fifth as Jose Garcia poked an RBI single and Kolbrin Vitek lined an RBI double to put the Spinners on top 4-2. Seth Schwindenhammer's RBI single and Sean Killeen's two-run home run in the eighth gave Lowell a five run cushion . Reliever Kyle Rutter came on for the ninth and did not record an out, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 2 hits and 2 walks to allow the Tigers to tie the game. Wilson Matos relieved Rutter and held the Tigers down for the rest of the ninth and the tenth but allowed an unearned run in the eleventh to take the loss. Garcia, Vitek, Schwindenhammer and Killeen all had two hit nights to lead the offense.

Player of the Night: Jeremy Hazelbaker, who went 3 for 5 with a double, a walk-off RBI single and a run scored in Greenville's 2-1 victory.

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