September 10, 2016 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Salem's narrow loss ends season for whole system
9/10 Cup of Coffee: The final Red Sox affiliate ended its season Friday, as High-A Salem fell 2-1 in a decisive Game Three of the Southern Division Championship Series. Matt Kent (pictured) tossed a gem for Salem, but two late runs were enough for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to claim the victory.
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Through six innings, Matt Kent had a shutout working and Salem held a 1-0 lead. But the Pelicans plated the equalizer in the seventh and scored the game-winner off Yankory Pimentel in the eighth. Simon Mercedes did not allow a hit in the final 1 1/3 innings, but the Red Sox could not close the gap. Three straight singles to start the fifth pushed across Salem’s lone run, with Jordan Procyshen’s knock scoring Jayce Ray. Rafael Devers’ two hits, including a double, upped his series line to 5 for 12 with a home run, a double and 4 RBI. Seven different Red Sox notched hits, as Salem outhit Myrtle Beach 8-7.
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Player of the Day: Despite it coming in a losing effort, Matt Kent kept his team in the game on the playoff stage. Kent allowed just four hits and struck out five batters through 6 2/3 innings. The lefty's shutout performance only ended when Pimentel allowed an inherited runner to score from second with two outs in the seventh. Behind the star power of first-rounders Michael Kopech and Trey Ball, Kent has been consistently strong in the Salem rotation this season, posting a 3.69 ERA and throwing six or more innings of two-run ball in each of his last five starts.
Photo Credit: Matt Kent by Kelly O'Connor