Drive split twin bill with Kannapolis

5/28 Cup of Coffee: Salem and Greenville both had extra chances to pick up a win Friday night, but only Greenville picked up a victory in their double-header.

Big league reliever Bobby Jenks combined with Matt Fox and Hideki Okajima to keep the Indians at bay for the first eight innings, but Michael Bowden allowed a grand slam in a 5-run ninth to give Pawtucket a 6-3 loss to Indianapolis (PIT). Jenks tossed a scoreless first, allowing 1 hit before Fox struck out 6 in 6 innings of 5-hit, 1-run ball. Okajima tossed a perfect eighth before old friend Andy Marte went deep with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth to give the Indians the lead for good. Brent Dlugach and Jose Iglesias drove in runs in the second, and Iglesias singled to score Daniel Nava in the eighth. Nava was 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and 2 runs scored, and Iglesias was 2 for 3. Hector Luna also had a pair of hits in the loss.

Stolmy Pimentel's winless 2011 continued in Portland's fog-shortened 4-2 loss to Trenton (NYY). The righty went 5.0 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned on 5 hits and a walk. He struck out 4 before Caleb Clay allowed a run in 2.0 innings of relief. Most of the Sea Dogs' production came from the bottom of the lineup, with Chih-Hsian Chiang, Jon Hee and Vladimir Frias picking up 2 hits apiece in the loss. Hee drove in both Portland runs with a 2-run single in the fourth.

In the first game of Salem's double-header, Junichi Tazawa pitched into the fourth inning in his second rehab appearance since Tommy John, but was rocked to the tune of 8 runs on as many hits in 3.1 innings in a 10-3 loss to Frederick (BAL). Tazawa yielded three home runs in the cavernous Lewis-Gale Field before Dennis Neuman tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and Jeremiah Bayer allowed 2 runs in a pair of relief innings. Dan Butler went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, while Reynaldo Rodriguez added a pair of hits and an RBI in the loss.

In game two, Frederick pushed the winning run across in the top of the seventh off Anatanaer Batista to hand Salem a 4-3 loss. Pete Ruiz gave up 3 runs on 5 hits in 3.2 innings, and Batista tossed 3.1 innings of relief, with the winning run being the only blemish. Shannon Wilkerson was 2 for 3 with a solo home run, while Peter Hissey, Matt Spring, and Derrik Gibson all doubled in the loss.

Greenville played two as well and saw much better results than Salem, slamming Kannapolis (CWS) 8-1 in game one. Miles Head hit a two-run in the Drive's six-run third, while Henry Ramos and David Renfroe each drove in a pair of runs on the game. Ramos and Brandon Jacobs doubled twice and Sean Coyle was 1 for 3 with a triple and a run scored. Miguel Celestino and Juan Rodriguez combined for a 7.0 innings of 2-hit, 1-run ball, with Celestino going the first 6.0 and Rodriguez throwing a perfect seventh.

Kannapolis exacted revenge in game two, thumping the Drive 7-1. Scott Swinson picked up the loss despite striking out 5 and allowing a pair of runs on 3 hits in 5.0 innings, and Tyler Lockwood allowed 4 runs, 3 earned on 4 hits in 2.0 innings. Freddy Sanchez and Jose Garcia each had a pair of hits, and Head drove in the Drive's only run in the loss.

Player of the Night: Miguel Celestino was a lone bright spot on the evening, allowing two hits in 5.0 innings of 1-run ball as the Drive picked up the lone win down on the farm.

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