Pressly tosses five no-hit innings in hard-luck no decision

7/29 Cup of Coffee: Salem got five no-hit innings from its starter on Thursday, while both Greenville and Lowell had offensive explosions in victories.

Pawtucket broke a deadlock with a run in the eighth and held on for a 2-1 victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI). Matt Fox allowed 1 run on just 2 hits over 6.0+ innings, though he did walk 5 with 4 strikeouts. A single from Che-Hsuan Lin in the second gave the PawSox the early lead. They held that advantage until the seventh when the IronPigs tied it up. Pawtucket didn't wait around to regain the lead, however, as the very next half-inning a wild pitch allowed Lars Anderson to score and give the PawSox a 2-1 lead. Scott Atchison earned the win after replacing Fox in the seventh. He was replaced by Hideki Okajima, who pitched a scoreless eighth, and Michael Bowden shut the door in the ninth for his 13th save.

Portland's game featured a battle of the bullpens, but it was the Altoona Curve (PIT) who came out on top, 7-4. After the Curve opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second, the Sea Dogs came back with two in the bottom half thanks to RBI singles from Oscar Tejeda and Heiker Meneses. The teams traded runs in the third, with Portland's coming on a throwing error allowing Alex Hassan to score. Starter Michael Lee allowed his third run of the game in the fifth, he was replaced after 4.1 innings pitched. He allowed the 3 runs on 8 hits while striking out 5. Eamonn Portice was called on to replace Fox, but he allowed 4 runs in his 2.2 innings of work. Portland scored a run in the eighth after the damage was done after a double play plated Hassan from third. The outfielder had the only two-hit game for the Sea Dogs, with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, as well.

Salem led its game for the majority of the contest, but late runs from the Frederick Keys (BAL) toppled the Red Sox, 3-2. Ryan Pressly did not allow a hit in his outing, going 5.0 innings and striking out 5, but walked 4 and was removed before the sixth. Salem's two runs came in the fourth on back-to-back RBI singles from Vladimir Frias and Shannon Wilkerson. With the lead still in tact in the seventh, Pete Ruiz allowed two in the frame and one more in the eighth, and the Keys escaped with the victory.

Greenville trailed 6-0, but powered back to outslug the Charleston RiverDogs, 13-8. Miguel Celestino spotted the RiverDogs a six-run lead in his 4.0 innings of work, allowing 8 hits and 1 walk with 6 strikeouts. But the Drive scored three runs apiece in each of the next four innings to come back and take the lead. Christian Vazquez and Michael Almanzar each had three-RBI games while Brandon Jacobs knocked in four of his own. With the lead in hand, Michael Olmsted and Justin Erasmus combined for three scoreless innings of relief to seal the win.

Lowell featured another high-powered offensive attack as they took down the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (CLE), 10-7. The Spinners jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first after Travis Shaw singled in a run, Jayson Hernandez plated a pair with a single of his own, and Drew Turocy picked up an RBI on a groundout. Madison Younginer gave the lead back, though, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 4.2 innings of work. The Scrappers held the 5-4 lead into the eighth, when Lowell took the lead with a three-run inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Turocy and a two-run single from Keury De La Cruz. Lowell picked up three more insurance runs in the ninth, which would come in handy after Luis Bastardo (who earned the win) gave up two runs in the bottom of the inning.

The GCL Red Sox took part in a wild one--though the score doesn't reflect it--but ended up falling to the GCL Orioles, 8-3 in 11 innings. Raul Alcantara allowed his only run of the game in the first, but settled down and held the Orioles to just the 1 run and 5 hits over 6.0 innings. Trailing 1-0 in the second, the Red Sox tied it on an RBI groundout by Jose Vinicio. Then, they took the lead in the fourth on a Matthew Gedman RBI single. After the Orioles tied it again in the seventh, the teams remained deadlocked through nine. The Orioles took the lead with a run in the 10th, but the Red Sox knotted the score once more on a solo blast from Gedman. The teams went to the 11th, but the Orioles broke it open with five runs and came away with the win.

The DSL Red Sox were off last night, but resume action today with a 10:30 a.m. contest against the DSL Brewers (MIL).

Player of the Night: Ryan Pressly, who tossed 5.0 innings of no-hit ball and left with the no-hitter and lead in the sixth, though Salem was unable to hang on for the victory.

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