Butler stays hot as Salem knocks off Potomac

4/23 Cup of Coffee: Sox affiliates went 2-2 yesterday, as a banner week for a Salem player continued, while a top prospect struggled on the mound for Portland.

Pawtucket picked up its International League-leading 10th win of the year, as they took down the Rochester Red Wings (MIN) by a score of 3-1. In what appeared to be an effort to try and stretch out Felix Doubront, the Venezuelan left hander got the start for the PawSox and pitched three innings. Doubront gave up just one hit, while striking out 3 and yielding no walks. Kris Johnson, whom Doubront replaced in the rotation, came in to replace the 23 year old and gave up the first run of the game in the fourth. Pawtucket did all of their scoring in the sixth on back-to-back home runs from Yamaico Navarro and Josh Reddick. After Johnson's three innings of one-run ball, Scott Atchison came on for two scoreless innings. Michael Bowden then pitched the ninth to earn his third save of the season.

Stolmy Pimentel was looking for his second consecutive impressive start for Portland, but the Sea Dogs were outslugged by the New Britian Rock Cats (MIN) 9-7. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Tim Federowicz cracked an RBI double to center to tie the game. But the Rock Cats got to Pimentel for three more runs in the top of the fourth to regain the lead. The Sea Dogs answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth, however. After a wild pitch scored Jorge Padron, Ryan Dent hit a sacrifice fly to cut the New Britain lead to one. Pimentel left with one out in the fifth, and was charged with two more runs to finish the day with 6 runs allowed in 4.1 innings pitched. The right hander gave up 6 hits with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks. Trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Portland clawed back with a run on a Chih-Hsien Chiang groundout. The Rock Cats went on to score two in the sixth and another in the seventh, leaving the Sea Dogs with a big hill to climb in the late innings. After Eamonn Portice pitched two perfect innings in relief, Portland did stage a minor comeback in the ninth. A two-run home run by Ryan Lavarnway and an RBI double by Oscar Tejeda made it 9-7, but it wasn't enough.

The reigning SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Week got the start for Salem and earned the win, as they downed the Potomac Nationals (WAS) 6-4. Chris Balcom-Miller improved his record to 3-0, giving up 1 run on 8 hits, while striking out 6 without walking a batter. Salem trailed 1-0 in the third when they picked up three runs thanks to RBIs from Kolbrin Vitek, Reynaldo Rodriguez, and Dan Butler. Rodriguez and Butler both knocked in another run after back-to-back doubles in the fifth to give Salem a 5-1 lead. Balcom-Miller was replaced by William Latimer, who gave up 2 runs over the next 2.0 innings. Salem got another run in the sixth on a double by Zach Gentile. Cesar Cabral pitched the final two innings for his third save of the year.

Greenville gave up a big sixth inning, and they fell to the Charleston RiverDogs (NYY) 6-5. The Drive jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after a solo home run by Bryce Brentz in the top of the first. Brentz is now hitting .354/.400/585 on the season. Charleston pushed across a pair in the bottom of the third to take the lead, but they were the only runs Manny Rivera would allow. The 21-year-old left hander fired 5.0 innings giving up just those 2 runs on 2 hits, while walking just one and striking out 7. Greenville retook the lead in the top of the fifth on a Christian Vazquez two-run homer. In the sixth inning, the Drive had runners on first and third and David Renfroe at the plate when Brandon Jacobs stole second. The throw went into center field, allowing Jacobs to move to third and a run to score. With Renfroe still at the plate, Jacobs scored on a wild pitch to give Greenville a 5-2 lead. Garrett Rau was called on to replace Rivera, but was saddled with the loss after allowing 4 runs and 5 hits over 2.0 innings. Jordan Flasher pitched a perfect eighth for the Drive.

Player of the Night: Dan Butler, whose perfect 3-for-3 night at the plate helped Salem to a 6-4 win over Potomac. He doubled in all three official at bats and added 2 RBI to give him 14 on the season. Butler now has 10 RBI in his last 4 games.

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