September 2009
Daisuke Dynamite in Game 1
Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 6.2 innings striking out 7 Dash batters. Daisuke looked solid even into the late innings of his start before being relieved by the Salem Sox bullpen and recieving a standing ovation from a crowd of over 3,000 fans in Winston-Salem.
Started Kyle Weiland (7-9, 3.46) will face the Dash in game 2 of the Carolina League Playoffs. The Salem Red Sox return home Friday night at 7:05pm.
Papelbon Rejoins Salem Sox
Josh Papelbon will be pitching for the Salem Red Sox in the playoffs. Papelbon rejoins the team today prior to the first game of the playoffs in Winston-Salem Wednesday night. He had been with Double-A Portland since the end of August and pitched well during his time with the Sea Dogs. Josh was a dominant reliever for the Sox in the month of August preceeding his call-up, throwing 18.2 innings and holding a 1.93 earned run average.
The Salem Red Sox have recieved a bullpen boost from former firemen Derrick Loop and Josh Papelbon. Loop has saved two games in his two appearances since his return from Portland. The Salem Sox bullpen will need to continue their awesome pitching in the playoffs. Salem pitchers used exclusively for relief pitching had a 3.18 ERA in the months of August and September pitching 116.2 innings.
Dice-K Joins Sox for One Night Only
Breaking news is that Daisuke Matsuzaka will be joining the Salem Red Sox and aid them in their efforts to win their first playoff series against Winston-Salem. Dice-K will pitch the Sox playoff opener Wednesday night in Winston-Salem. Matsuzaka is making a rehab start after struggling with a shoulder injury for most of the season.
Dice-K joins the Salem Red Sox after a 6-5 victory against the Lynchburg Hillcats this afternoon. The Sox finished their game and were also greeted with the news the Kinston Indians also fell to Carolina League northern division rival the Potomac Nationals 9-4.
To purchase tickets to Friday night’s playoff game against the Dash head to salemsox.com! Go Sox!
Dice-K, Playoffs, Play-In Game? Questions Loom for Sox.
After a disapointing 1-0 loss last night to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Lynchburg City Stadium the Salem Red Sox still can make the dramatic leap into the playoffs for this their first inaugural season. The Salem Sox with a win or Kinston loss tonight clinch a playoff berth. With a loss in Lynchburg coupled with an Indians win would send the Sox home for a play-in game against divisional foe Kinston Tuesday night. The Sox send righty Stephen Fife to the mound this afternoon against Matt McSwain, who in last appearance against Salem on Saturday pitched 1.0 disastrous inning of relief allowing 4 hits and two runs aiding Salem’s comeback efforts.
Some interesting news broke on the web this morning involving former Boston Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka. ESPN released a story this morning detailing a possible rehab start for Dice-K in either Salem or Greenville on Wednesday. For Matsuzaka to even have a chance to start for Salem the Sox would need to clinch this afternoon or win the play-in game against the K-Tribe on Tuesday. The wrinkle in a possible start for the Salem Sox in whether Boston needs Dice-K before Wednesday’s proposed rehab start or not. Boston has scheduled Paul Byrd to start Wednesday, but he struggled physically in his last outing. Also the question must be raised as to whether he would make a start for the Salem Sox or Greenville Drive. The Drive will play on Wednesday at Asheville, while the Sox would play in Winston-Salem if they make the postseason. The Drive have already punched their ticket to the dance, but would the Red Sox rather have their starter make his rehab with the Advanced-A ballclub instead of the Low-A team? That is still to be determined.
Stay tuned for more Salem Red Sox news and notes and make sure you tune in to this afternoon’s regular season finale! Go Sox!
Dent Leads Salem to 11 Inning Victory
Some Salem Red Sox fans might have been wondering why Ryan Dent had been struggling at the plate since his call-up from Short-Season Lowell. I guess he was just saving his bat for a rainy day as he led the Salem Red Sox to a pivotal victory against the rival Hillcats tonight 7-6. Dent went 4-5 with 3 RBI and knocked in the winning run on a line drive to centerfield in the 11th inning. The win gives Salem a two-game lead in the Wild Card race over the Kinston Indians as they fell tonight to Potomac 7-0. Stay tuned to salemsox.com for more updates on the Salem Red Sox playoff picture!
Jones & Loop Save Sox
Last night was another thrilling game for the Salem Red Sox as they defeated the Lynchburg Hillcats 3-2 at Salem Memorial Ballpark. A late day roster move signaled the return of closer Derrick Loop and he slammed the door on the Hillcats in the ninth inning earning save number 17 of the season. Loop was not the only Sox player who provided late inning heroics as first baseman Mike Jones flared a single to center to drive in the go-ahead run in the seventh. With the win and a Kinston loss the Salem Red Sox took a one game lead in the Wild Card.
The Salem Red Sox are holding a special promotional offer this evening for all fans wearing their Virginia Tech Hokie gear! Box and Reserve tickets are only $5 for fans wearing Hokie hats, t-shirts, pants and anything else you can wear that will support VT this evening! Make sure you arrive early and stay late at the park for live music starting at 4:30PM featuring Big Lik and postgame fireworks.
Southern Division Standings Record
Winston-Salem Dash 34-33
Salem Red Sox 33-34
Kinston Indians 32-35
Loop Return Gives Bullpen Boost
Today the Salem Red Sox improved their chances of making the playoffs by improving the bullpen with the addition of an all-star talent, a Carolina League All-Star that is. Closer Derrick Loop returns from a brief hiatus in Portland to add depth to an already strong Salem relief core. Derrick Loop’s time in Portland will almost certainly add more experience to his already sparkling 2009 pitching resume, which includes a trip to Lake Elsinore in June and the team lead in saves. In his absence Salem saw the return of opening day closer Jason Blackey who displayed the make-up of a closer and excellent reliever filling the large cleets left by Loop, saving three games and striking out seven in 8.1 innings of relief.
The Sox begin a pivotal two-game homestand against rival Lynchburg tonight at Salem Memorial Ballpark. Tonight’s giveaway is Salem Red Sox logo baseballs, so don’t miss out!
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