May 31, 2011 7:05 PM Lynchburg Hillcats (21-28) vs Salem Red Sox (25-24) Game #50

LewisGale Field                      Salem, VA                   Home Game #32

Probable Starters: LHP Matt Crim (1-3, 3.55) vs RHP Pete Ruiz (2-2, 5.02)

The Slammin’ King of Salem: A magical Memorial Day concluded with Dan Butler becoming the third Salem Red Sock to belt a walk-off grand slam at LewisGale Field. In 2009, Yamaico Navarro jacked a walk-off slam, while Tim Federowicz achieved the feat in 2010. This season, there have been seven Carolina League grand slams, two of which Butler has authored. Monday’s walk-off triumph was Salem’s third walk-off victory of the season.

Losing’s Day Off:  Hopefully, it’s more than just a day. Monday’s victory snapped a Salem-record 12-game home losing streak, giving the Sox their first win at LewisGale Field since May 7, when the Red Sox beat the Pelicans 3-2 to improve to 20-7 on the season. During the home skid, the Red Sox went 4-5 on the road and 4-17 overall to fall back to the .500 mark at 24-24. With 21 games and 20 days remaining in the half, Salem is hoping to invert the wins and losses in the most recent stretch in order to contend for the first half crown.

Nine Times: The Red Sox drew a season high 11 walks on Monday, but only two of the men who were issued free passes came around to score. Kolbrin Vitek and Reynaldo Rodriguez both walked in the ninth inning and strolled home on Dan Butler’s walk-off granny, but the first nine men who walked were all left on base. The Red Sox left nine on base and won with fewer hits (6) than runs (7). It was the sixth time this season that Salem won with fewer hits than the opponent.

The Hillcats = Mr. Rooney: No matter how much Lynchburg has tried, the Hillcats have not been able to outdo the unflappable Salem Red Sox thus far in 2011. Salem has gone 7-0 against Lynchburg, outscoring the Cats 50-23 in the seven games. Even when Lynchburg thought it had Salem cornered, the Hillcats took soda in the eye when Butler’s four-run homer gave the Sox the dramatic W. Butler has now had two seven-RBI games against Lynchburg his season.  It could only get worse for the Hillcats if their bus got towed with the keys hanging out of the door-lock.

What Have You Seen This Month? Nothing Good:  Cameron may be negative, but despite Monday’s magical finish, he’s not that far off. Salem has gone just 9-19 in May, earning the fewest wins in the season’s second month after owning the league’s top mark in April. After scoring 131 runs in 21 games in April, Salem has mustered just 89 runs in 28 games in May. The Sox hit .291 in April, tops in the league, but have hit .212 in May, tied for last in the circuit. Butler’s homer on Monday may inspire the Sox to shake it up, baby.

We’ll Have to Crack Open the Odometer: Beginning on Thursday, the Red Sox will finish the half on an ambitious road journey, with 19 games in 18 days all away from Salem. The Sox will play five in Lynchburg, three in Frederick, seven in Potomac, and four in Kinston (in three days). Salem will play more road games in the next the next three weeks than it has in the first two months of the season. The Sox currently own an 11-7 record in road games in 2011.

May 25, 2011 7:05 PM Salem Red Sox (24-18) vs Myrtle Beach Pelicans (25-19) Game #43

BB&T Coastal Field              Myrtle Beach, SC                          Road Game #17

Probable Starters: LHP Drake Britton (1-4, 6.61) vs RHP Barret Loux (3-3, 3.89)

The View’s Great Up Here!: With last night’s 8-1 victory over Myrtle Beach, the Salem Sox are back in first place, percentage points ahead of the Pelicans, in the Carolina League Southern Division. Wednesday is the 34th day that the Red Sox have spent in first, compared to 15 spent elsewhere. After winning 20 of 27 and then losing nine of ten, the Salem Sox have won three of the last four to ascend back into the top spot. Myrtle Beach has now lost a season-high four straight games after dropping three in a row to Wilmington over the weekend before falling to Salem on Tuesday night.

Triple-Double: After managing double-digit hits just twice in the first 20 days of May, the Red Sox have mustered double-digit knocks in three straight games, a stretch in which Salem has hit .282 (31-for-110) as a team. Before these three games, the Red Sox were hitting just .192 as a team in May.

A Little History: Entering last night’s matchup, Salem and Myrtle Beach had played 244 times since the Pelicans joined the Carolina League in 1999, with both cities winning exactly 122 games against each other. The Salem Sox gained the upper hand with a series opening win on Tuesday night. Since the Red Sox arrived in the Roanoke Valley in 2009, Salem has gone 32-13 against Myrtle Beach.

Steady Leather: Salem’s defense has solidified in the past week, making just one error in the last six games to move into second-place in overall team defense for the season. The Red Sox have made just 37 errors in 42 games, second to Myrtle Beach, who’s made 33 miscues thus far in 2011. The Potomac Nationals have made a league-high 56 errors, 11 more than any other Carolina League team.

Two at a Time: Reynaldo Rodriguez and Peter Hissey have been the most prolific doubling duo in the Carolina League in 2011. Both delivered a two-bagger last night, giving Rodriguez his league-best 17th as Hissey tallied his 15th of the year, third-most in the circuit. Rodriguez is tied for the league lead in extra-base hits with 24, while Hissey, in his second year in the CL, had just nine doubles on this date last season, when he finished with 22.

Ultimate Road Warriors: After playing a front-loaded schedule of home games, the miles will pile up in the final month of the first half. Salem is currently entrenched in a stretch where it will play 25 road games in a 32-game stretch. Offensively, Salem is hitting 49 points better for the season on the road than at home. The Red Sox are batting just .230 in 26 home games, in which they’ve scored 93 runs, while they are slugging .279 in road games and have scored 102 runs in those 16 contests, an average of 6.4 runs per game.  When Salem returns home this Friday for a doubleheader with Frederick, the Sox will aim to squelch the current eight game losing streak at LewisGale Field,the longest such stretch since April 20 through May 11 of 1989, when the then Pirates-affiliated Salem Buccaneers lost eight straight at Kiwanis Field.

May 24, 2011 7:05 PM Salem Red Sox (23-18) vs Myrtle Beach Pelicans (25-18) Game #42

BB&T Ballpark                       Winston-Salem, NC                    Road Game #16

Probable Starters: LHP Chris Hernandez (4-1, 1.78) vs LHP Robbie Erlin (3-1, 2.22)

A Grueling Pace, Let’s Go Hunting: Today, the Salem Sox kick off a stretch of 29 games in 27 days to finish off the first half of the 2011 season. This four-week span includes a whopping 22 road games and just seven home games, with a pair of doubleheaders mixed in. After winning two out of three over the weekend in Winston-Salem, the Sox have crawled to within one game of the first-place Myrtle Beach Pelicans, whom Salem will face the next three nights at BB&T Coastal Field. These will be the final three meetings of the half between the two most prominent Southern Division Contenders. In the only other series between the two clubs, Salem won three out of four at LewisGale Field earlier this month.

Wanna Get Away?: After playing a front-loaded schedule of home games, the miles will pile up in the final month of the first half. Salem is currently entrenched in a stretch where it will play 25 road games in a 32-game stretch. Offensively, Salem is hitting 48 points better for the season on the road than at home. The Red Sox are batting just .230 in 26 home games, in which they’ve scored 93 runs, while they are slugging .278 in road games and have scored 94 runs in those 15 contests, an average of 6.3 runs per game.  When Salem returns home this Friday for a doubleheader with Frederick, the Sox will aim to squelch the current eight game losing streak at LewisGale Field,the longest such stretch since April 20 through May 11 of 1989, when the then Pirates-affiliated Salem Buccaneers lost eight straight at Kiwanis Field.

Bryce Canyon: Just like the jaw-droppingly beautiful national park in Utah, Salem’s Bryce Brentz first two games in the Carolina League needed to be seen to be believed. After hitting 11 bombs in 40 games to lead the South Atlantic League at the time of his Saturday promotion, the outfielder from Knoxville bashed homers in each of his first two Carolina League games with the Salem Sox. Brentz enters Tuesday’s action looking to homer in his fourth straight game, considering he also went deep in his final game for Greenville on Friday night in Savannah. In 42 total games, Brentz owns 65 hits, 13 homers, and 38 runs batted in between the two levels.

Hernandez-Erlin: The Sequel: Tonight, fans in Myrtle Beach can only hope for the same dynamic pitching performances that Chris Hernandez and Robbie Erlin offered to Salem supporters on May 6. Both southpaws were spectacular 18 days ago, with Hernandez earning the W in Salem’s slim 2-1 triumph. Hernandez scattered four hits and one walk over six scoreless innings, bouncing back from his only start all season in which he allowed multiple runs. Subtract Hernandez’ bumpiest outing from his stat line and he has allowed just two earned runs in 29.2 innings pitched this season, an ERA of 0.61. Meanwhile, Erlin, Myrtle’s magic man, allowed just one hit in seven innings on May 6, but suffered the loss. The lone hit was a homer surrendered to Peter Hissey in the first inning, after which Erlin retired 20 consecutive Red Sox batters to finish his outing. In his last five starts, Erlin is 2-1 with a 1.34 ERA. Despite the success, Erlin has been susceptible to the long-ball, having given up 7 HR in 8 starts.

In the Books:

Monday, May 16 – Wilmington 7 Salem 3

Tuesday, May 17 – RAINED OUT

Wednesday, May 18 – Gm 1: Wilmington 7 Salem 1, Gm 2: Wilmington 5 Salem 1

Thursday, May 19 – Wilmington 1 Salem 0

Friday, May 20 – Salem 7 Winston-Salem 4

Saturday, May 21 – Salem 4 Winston-Salem 0

Sunday, May 22 – Winston-Salem 8 Salem 7

Record for the week: 2-5              Record for the season: 23-18

On the Agenda:

Monday, May 23- DAY OFF

Tuesday, May 24- Salem @ Myrtle Beach, 7:05, BB&T Coastal Field

Wednesday, May 25- Salem @ Myrtle Beach, 7:05, BB&T Coastal Field

Thursday, May 26 – Salem @ Myrtle Beach, 7:05, BB&T Coastal Field

Friday, May 27 – Frederick @ Salem, Doubleheader, 6:05, LewisGale Field

Saturday, May 28- Frederick @ Salem, 6:05, LewisGale Field

Sunday, May 29 – Frederick @ Salem, 4:05, LewisGale Field

The Monday Brief:

Following a frustrating 0-7 homestand, the Salem Sox hit the road and grabbed a satisfying series win over Winston-Salem, winning Friday and Saturday before falling one run shy on Sunday. The weekend was undoubtedly highlighted by the arrival of Bryce Brentz, the South Atlantic League home run and RBI leader at the time of his promotion from Greenville. Brentz, the 36^th overall pick in last year’s draft out of Middle Tennessee State, went 3-5 with a homer on Friday in Savannah, then flew to Greensboro via Charleston, drove to Winston, and went 4-10 with two more bombs on Saturday and Sunday in his Carolina League debut. Unfortunately, Salem had to lose Jeremy Hazelbaker—promoted to Portland—to obtain Brentz, but the Red Sox gained another excellent outfield prospect with some plus pop. Salem hit just three home runs in the first 19 days of May before hitting four on Saturday and Sunday in Winston. Sustaining the power burst would be a major boon for a Sox team that can surge back into first place with a couple Ws in Myrtle Beach the next three nights.

Maniacal Musings:

One of the most exciting events during a minor league baseball season is when a major leaguer comes to town. Rehabbing big leaguers come in all different shapes, sizes, statuses, and situations. When I was eight years old, I had my birthday party at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, where the greatest gift was a rehab start from “Rocket” Roger Clemens, coincidentally arriving on the same day that my parents packed my friends in our minivan to go see the PawSox. Baseball reference reminds me that Clemens faced 16 batters that day, striking out half of them in three and two-thirds innings. I still vividly remember Clemens tipping his hat to the capacity crowd as he left the game in the fourth inning. Obviously, I feel differently about Clemens now, but you can imagine how wide a smile eight-year-old-Evan had that day.

Obviously, the arrival of Japanese righthander Junichi Tazawa is not on the same level, but it was still cool to see Tazawa begin his long journey back from Tommy John surgery last Friday night in Winston-Salem. Humorously, it was the second time in three years that a Japanese righthander who has pitched for the Boston Red Sox started for Salem in Winston-Salem. Dash fans are still a tad bitter that Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched in game one of the playoffs two years ago, and the White Sox affiliate fell to 0-2 against these Far East rehabbers in Friday’s action. Tazawa allowed four runs, all coming in the second inning, on five hits in four frames total, tossing 69 pitches in his first real game on the bump since the surgery. After the ballgame, I asked Salem Pitching Coach Kevin Walker for his reaction to Tazawa’s start. Walker, a former Tommy John recipient himself back in August of 2001, basically told me that zero conclusions should be drawn from Tazawa’s outing. “I basically throw out the first real start after the surgery,” he told me, explaining that just being back on the mound can be considered a success. Tazawa mixed his pitches well, but sat in the mid-80s with his fastball. It’ll be interesting to see if he can keep ratcheting up his velocity as the rehab process continues.

Aside from Tazawa and Brentz, Salem’s other newbie is one of the veteran-most players on the Sox minor league farm. Mark Wagner made his Salem Sox debut last Monday, blasting a homer in his second at-bat and going 2-2 with two walks in his first game. Having been in the organization since 2005, Wagner was on the precipice of the big leagues last year after having played parts of 2009 & ’10 with Pawtucket in the International League. Surely, the Carolina League is not exactly where the 26-year old backstop would prefer to be, but that has not outwardly dampened his spirits at all. In one week, Wagner has proven his value, catching three solid games and belting two round-trippers. Like you, I am curious how the Red Sox will manage Wagner moving forward. In the meantime, I’m grateful that he is in Salem. You can hear my chat with Wagner from last week right here: http://twaud.io/r4HZ

Tuesday night, we’ll see a rematch of one of the more memorable games of the season thus far, as lefties Chris Hernandez (4-1, 1.78) and Robbie Erlin (3-1, 2.22) will throw opposite each other for the second time this year. In the first matchup, Erlin retired the final 20 batters he faced over seven one-hit innings, but the lone knock he surrendered was Peter Hissey’s solo homer, handing him the loss. Hernandez tossed six scoreless and earned the victory in Salem’s 2-1 win. Hernandez has yielded just one earned run in his last 15.2 innings over three starts. On the season, left-handed hitters are batting just .095 against him, with two hits in 21 at-bats.

Statistically Speaking

At the time of Bryce Brentz’ promotion to Salem, he was tops in the South Atlantic League in homers and RBI with 11 and 36, respectively. He also hit for average (.359), checking in at fifth in the SAL in hitting even though among SAL batters named Bryce, Brentz earned bronze. The gold and silver batting averages among Bryce’s were Bryce Harper (.364 for Hagerstown, a Nationals affiliate) and Bryce Massanari (.361 for Asheville, a Rockies affiliate). Alas, both Harper and Massanari remained a level below when Brentz was boosted to Salem. Bashing homers in both games in Winston affirmed the belief that our Bryce was ready for the bump.

A Closing Haiku

The outfield ladder,

Brentz, Lin, and Hazelbaker.

Climbing to the Show!

Lepler’s Learnings will be posted every Monday on “Salem Sox Talk.” Fans can listen to every Salem Red Sox game with Voice of the Red Sox “Evan Lepler” on NewsTalk960 WFIR and online at www.salemsox.com. Evan welcomes your e-mails at elepler@salemsox.com.

May 16, 2011 7:05 PM Wilmington Blue Rocks (19-16) vs Salem Red Sox (21-13) Game #35

LewisGale Field                      Salem, VA                   Home Game #23

Probable Starters: LHP Noel Arguelles (2-1, 2.15) vs RHP Ryan Pressly (3-1, 3.07)

Chutes and Ladders: Wilmington and Salem enter this week’s four game series eager to rediscover the early season forms that brought the clubs into first place. The Red Sox are just 5-8 after 16-5 start, but still are tied for first in the Southern Division with Myrtle Beach. Meanwhile, the Blue Rocks began the year 15-7 but have gone 4-9 in their last 13 games to fall into second place in the North, one game behind the Frederick Keys. Half of Wilmington’s win total during this rough patch came against Salem last week at Frawley Stadium. The Rocks won two out of three over the Sox, with all three games being decided by one or two runs.

Boggled: After hitting .291 as a team in April while scoring over six runs per game, the Red Sox are batting just .188 so far in May, with only 33 runs in 13 games. At the midway point of the month, the Red Sox’ overall team average has dipped to .253, which is still second best in the league, but just ten points higher than Wilmington’s .243 clip that is fifth in the circuit.  The Red Sox hit 25 homers in April but only have belted two in May. Neither Jeremy Hazelbaker or Dan Butler, who share the team lead with five homers, have gone deep since the final game of April, when the Red Sox hit four homers in two innings against Potomac.

Battleship Afloat: The Red Sox starting pitching has kept Salem above water throughout the offense’s slump. In each of the last 12 games, Salem’s starter has allowed three earned runs or fewer, a stretch in which the Sox rotation has accumulated a 2.75 ERA. In the last 12 games, Sox starters have pitched 55.2 IP, allowing 41 hits and 17 earned runs, with 35 strikeouts, 20 walks, and only one home run allowed.  Salem’s team ERA has been better in May (3.05) than it was during April (3.55).

Guess Who!: Reynaldo Rodriguez doubled for the 15th time this season in Sunday’s 6-5 setback, increasing his Carolina League lead in two-baggers. Rodriguez currently leads the league in batting average (.339) and is tied for second in RBI (25), trailing only teammate Dan Butler. He also sits second in on-base percentage. slugging percentage, and in runs scored with 28. It’s hard to believe that two seasons ago, Rodriguez was not  playing for an affiliated club. He spent 2009 in the Golden League, earning Rookie of the Year honors as Baseball America tabbed him the #1 independent ball prospect.

Houses and Hotels: The Carolina League baseball season of 140 games in 151 days is tough enough, but Salem’s schedule provides very little balance in terms of being comfortable at home and living out of a suitcase on the road. When the Sox complete this upcoming four-game series with the Blue Rocks, Salem will have played 26 of its first 38 games at LewisGale Field. When the Red Sox journey on the road on Friday, they will begin a stretch of 25 of the next 32 on the road! Incredibly, the Salem Sox will conclude the first half with 19 straight road games (in 18 days), a grueling few weeks that will undoubtedly test the mettle of the team, not to mention the suitcase-packing skills of every player, coach, trainer, and broadcaster.

Baseball players are a lot like Survivor castaways, except regardless of whether you win or lose that day’s challenge, a scrumptious postgame spread awaits. But in terms of grinding out at-bats, staying sane during long rain delays, and figuring out ways to improve both as a team and an individual, minor leaguers experience some of the similar challenges as contestants competing for the million dollar prize. The golden pay-day at the end is another constantly-motivating factor.

As Boston Rob, Phillip, Natalie, Ashley, and one of the Redemption quartet battles for the ultimate prize tonight, here’s some tree mail minutiae to keep you busy in the meantime…

May 15, 2011 4:05 PM Winston-Salem Dash (16-19) vs Salem Red Sox (21-12) Game #34

LewisGale Field                      Salem, VA                   Home Game #22

Probable Starters: LHP Joe Serafin (0-2, 5.00) vs RHP Pete Ruiz (1-2, 6.26)

Redemption Island: Salem needs to win a duel today in order to avoid getting swept for the first time this season.  The Sox turn to righthander Pete Ruiz in this time of need. Although Ruiz is 0-2 in May, he has improved from his April performance. Ruiz owns a 4.00 ERA thus far in May after pitching to an earned run average north of seven in April. Ruiz’s opponent is Winston southpaw Joe Serafin, who has had the opposite track record. Serafin possessed an ERA of 4.00 in April, but sits at 7.00 so far in May. Serafin made two starts against the Red Sox last year, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA against Salem.

Small Servings of Bland Rice: After hitting .291 as a team in April while scoring over six runs per game, the Red Sox are batting just .1863so far in May, with only 28 runs in 12 games. Salem pounded 95 extra-base hits in April, but has just 20 since the calendar turned. Only two members have the Red Sox, Jeremy Hazelbaker and Zach Gentile, have better batting averages in May than they do in April, while many of experienced dramatic drops in production in the new month. Catcher Dan Butler, who batted .351 in April, is hitting .037 (1-for-27) in May. Center-fielder Peter Hissey, who hit .333 in April, is entrenched at a .128 clip (5-for-39) in May.

The Tribe Has Not Spoken: Nearing the midway point of the first half, absolutely nothing has been decided in either division of the Carolina League. In the Southern section, Salem and Myrtle Beach are currently tied at the top, with the Red Sox technically percentage points ahead. The Sox and Pelicans will meet just three more times head-to-head in the half, a three-game set in Myrtle from May 24 to May 26. In the Northern Division, the Wilmington Blue Rocks and the Frederick Keys are sitting tied atop the pack at 19-15.

Former Yuma Scorpion?: Reynaldo Rodriguez doubled for the 14th time this season in Saturday’s 5-4 setback, increasing his Carolina League lead in two-baggers. Rodriguez is currently second in the league in average (.330), tied for fifth in homers (5), and tied for second in RBI (24). He also sits second in on-base percentage and slugging percentage and his tied with Winston’s Ian Gac in runs scored with 28. It’s hard to believe that two seasons ago, Rodriguez was not  playing for an affiliated club. He spent 2009 in the Golden League, earning Rookie of the Year honors as Baseball America tabbed him the #1 independent ball prospect.

Heroes vs. Villains: In 2010, the Salem Sox were the only Carolina League team that mustered a winning record against the Winston-Salem Dash, who went 81-58 to lead the league in victories. Salem went 11-9 against Winston last season, the second consecutive year in which the Sox won 11 of 20 against their Southern-Division rival. But despite these records, Salem has been unable to prevent Winston from at least sharing division titles for four consecutive halves. In the first half of 2010, both the Sox and Dash recorded sensational records, but Winston’s 43-27 mark was one game better than Salem’s 42-28 when the All-Star Break arrived.

Imagine the following thrilling climactic scene:

“You want answers?”

“I want the game notes!”

“YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE GAME NOTES!”

“Son, we live a world with information that must be dispensed. Who’s gonna do it? You? Manager Bruce Crabbe? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Hector Santiago and curse the recaps. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago’s one-hitter, while impressive, was just one game. And my existence, while overly verbose and incomprehensible to you, disseminates information. You want the game notes because deep down during rain delays, you want those nuggets of information. You need those capsule bios. We use words like probables,  transactions, and situational statistics.  We use those words as a backbone to a life spent explaining something. You use them as a tweet. I have neither the time or inclination to explain myself to someone who enjoys the daily game notes and stat packs I provide and then questions the way in which I provide them. I’d rather you just say thank you and go on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you grab a labtop and update the notes yourself every day. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you’re entitled to.”

“Did you print out the game notes?

“I did the job I needed to do.”

“Did you print out the game notes?”

“YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!”

Enjoy Saturday’s game notes while I go pick up my set of steak knives…

********

May 14, 2011 6:05 PM Winston-Salem Dash (15-19) vs Salem Red Sox (21-11) Game #33

LewisGale Field                      Salem, VA                   Home Game #21

Probable Starters: RHP Cameron Bayne (3-3, 3.50) vs RHP Chris Balcom-Miller (3-0, 1.89)

Code Red: Hector Santiago exorcized some demons at LewisGale Field by tossing six one-hit innings on Friday night in Winston’s 5-0 shutout win. Salem’s scuffling offense reached a new valley with just one hit in the game, the lowest offensive output of the season. Six of Salem’s seven smallest hit totals of the season have occurred in the last 11 games, in which the Red Sox have gone 5-6 following their 16-5 start.

Can You Handle The Truth?: After hitting .291 as a team in April while scoring over six runs per game, the Red Sox are batting just .186 so far in May, with only 24 runs in 11 games. Salem pounded 95 extra-base hits in April, but has just 18 since the calendar turned. Only two members have the Red Sox, Jeremy Hazelbaker and Zach Gentile, have better batting averages in May than they do in April, while many of experienced dramatic drops in production in the new month. Catcher Dan Butler, who batted .351 in April, is hitting .037 (1-for-27) in May. Center-fielder Peter Hissey, who hit .333 in April, is entrenched at a .118 clip (4-for-34) in May.

A Few Good Men:  While the offense has been struggling, the Sox bullpen has continued its dominance. Red Sox relievers own a collective ERA of 2.20 and consistently have served as the anchor to Salem’s early-season success, earning saves in all 14 opportunities thus far in 2011. The backbones of the pen have been Jeremiah Bayer, who has a 2-0 record and 0.82 ERA in 22 IP, and Anatanaer Batista, who owns a 3-0 mark with a 0.89 ERA in 20.1 IP. In addition, Kendal Volz has compiled a 1.06 ERA in nine outings spanning 16 IP, while Cesar Cabral has shined as the primary closer, picking up eight saves and a victory in 11 appearances with a 1.72 ERA. The entire pitching staff possesses a 3.26 ERA, second best in the League, and has surrendered just 12 home runs, fewest allowed in the circuit.

We’re Gonna Win…: Jo, don’t get crazy. Just because Salem is facing a righthanded pitcher tonight does not mean that victory is guaranteed. But the Red Sox have gone 15-4 thus far in 2011 when facing a righty starter, as opposed to a subpar 6-7 record when facing a southpaw hurler. Scoring the game’s first run has also been a decent indicator of success, as the Sox have gone 15-1 when scoring first, but just 6-10 when the opponents strikes first.  Salem also should be buoyed tonight by the return of Chris Balcom-Miller, who missed his last two scheduled starts with a back injury. The Red Sox are 4-0 this season in games started by Balcom-Miller.

The Undisputed Facts:  In 2010, the Salem Sox were the only Carolina League team that mustered a winning record against the Winston-Salem Dash, who went 81-58 to lead the league in victories. Salem went 11-9 against Winston last season, the second consecutive year in which the Sox won 11 of 20 against their Southern-Division rival. But despite these records, Salem has been unable to prevent Winston from at least sharing division titles for four consecutive halves. In the first half of 2010, both the Sox and Dash recorded sensational records, but Winston’s 43-27 mark was one game better than Salem’s 42-28 when the All-Star Break arrived.

May 12, 2011 6:35 PM Salem Red Sox (20-10) vs Wilmington Blue Rocks (18-13) Game #31

Frawley Stadium                     Wilmington, DE                          Road Game #12

Probable Starters: LHP Chris Hernandez (3-1, 2.10) vs RHP Elisaul Pimentel (2-0, 4.61)

Get in the Car, Frank!: For the first time in 2011, the Salem Sox are riding an unwanted three-game losing streak, a three-game stretch in which Salem has scored just four runs. The Red Sox are hitting .163 (15-for-92) during the losing streak and have gone 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The team’s overall batting average has dropped from .275 to .264 during this slide.

April Hitting Brings May Slumping: After hitting .291 as a team in April while scoring over six runs per game, the Red Sox are batting just .196 so far in May, with only 19 runs in nine games. Salem pounded 95 extra-base hits in April, but has just 14 since the calendar turned. Most importantly, the Red Sox went 16-5 in April and are just 4-5 thus far in May. Salem has led the Southern Division by as many as four games, but currently leads Myrtle Beach by just one game.

Multi-Hit Men: Kolbrin Vitek’s two knocks on Wednesday extended his team lead in multi-hit games, giving him 12 so far in 2011. Two other members of the Salem Sox have delivered 10 multi-hit games: Peter Hissey and Reynaldo Rodriguez. Catcher Dan Butler only has five multi-hit games, but he leads the team with four three-hit games.

The Bullpen Backbone:  While the offense has been struggling, the Sox bullpen has continued its dominance. Red Sox relievers have not allowed a run in their last ten innings pitched and own a collective ERA of 2.07 and consistently served as the anchor to Salem’s early-season success, earning saves in all 13 opportunities thus far in 2011. The backbones of the pen have been Jeremiah Bayer, who has a 2-0 record and 0.82 ERA in 22 IP, and Anatanaer Batista, who owns a 3-0 mark with a 0.98 ERA in 18.1 IP. In addition, Kendal Volz has compiled a 1.06 ERA in nine outings spanning 16 IP, while Cesar Cabral has shined as the primary closer, picking up seven saves and a victory in ten appearances with a 1.84 ERA. The entire pitching staff possesses a 3.28 ERA, second best in the Carolina League, and has surrendered just 11 home runs, fewest allowed in the circuit.

An Unwanted First: Wednesday’s 3-2 loss became the first time in 2011 that the Sox lost when scoring first. Salem took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, yet quickly fell behind when the Blue Rocks scored a pair in the bottom of the inning. Prior to this series in Wilmington, the Sox had not lost when allowing three runs or less, but the first two setbacks of this series have changed that. The Red Sox are now 14-1 when scoring first and 12-2 when allowing three or less

Five By Three: Reynaldo Rodriguez’ ninth-inning homer on Tuesday tied him with Jeremy Hazelbaker and Dan Butler for the team lead with five bombs apiece. No other Carolina League team has three players who have each hit five round-trippers. Only two clubs (Lynchburg and Winston) have more than one guy with at least five dingers. Rodriguez, Butler, and Hazelbaker are tied for fifth in the circuit in HR.

In the Books:

Monday, May 2 – Salem 3 Kinston 2

Tuesday, May 3 – Kinston 5 Salem 1 *Suspended in first inning, completed on Wednesday

Wednesday, May 4 – PPD/Rescheduled for June 13 in Kinston

Thursday, May 5 – Salem 4 Myrtle Beach 3

Friday, May 6 – Salem 2 Myrtle Beach 1

Saturday, May 7 – Salem 3 Myrtle Beach 2

Sunday, May 8 – Myrtle Beach 4 Salem 1

Record for the week: 4-2              Record for the season: 20-8

On the Agenda:

Monday, May 9 – DAY OFF

Tuesday, May 10 – Salem @ Wilmington, 6:35, Frawley Stadium

Wednesday, May 11 – Salem @ Wilmington, 6:35, Frawley Stadium

Thursday, May 12 – Salem @ Wilmington, 6:35, Frawley Stadium

Friday, May 13 – Winston-Salem @ Salem, 7:05, LewisGale Field

Saturday, May 14 – Winston-Salem @ Salem, 6:05, LewisGale Field

Sunday, May 15 – Winston-Salem @ Salem, 6:05, LewisGale Field

The Monday Brief:

The past seven days epitomized how this Salem Sox ballclub has consistently found a way to win thus far in 2011. Despite getting outscored 17-14 in the last six games, Salem went 4-2 thanks to four one-run victories. The offense has cooled, hitting just .201 in May, but the Salem Sox pitching staff has continued to excel. On Saturday night, we saw the real Drake Britton overpower the Myrtle Beach Pelicans over six dominant innings. One day before that, Chris Hernandez once again became a ground ball machine, keeping the Birds at bay over six scoreless frames. The Sox won three out of four over the Pelicans, Salem’s closest adversary in the Carolina League Southern Division, but clearly all four contests could have gone either way. In a week when few offensive performances were overwhelming, the shortest member of the squad had the finest numbers. Second-baseman Zach Gentile hit .438 (7-for-16) in five games, boosting his season average up to .293.

Maniacal Musings

Remember my rant about the lunacy of the Carolina League schedule? (You can re-read it here: http://salemsox.mlblogs.com/2011/04/12/leplers-learnings-volume-i-april-11-2011/) All things considered, it would be hard to fathom how the Salem Sox could have handled the stretch of 28 straight days with a scheduled game any better. Nineteen wins and just seven losses, with some rain and postponements mixed in. The next two weeks will seem like a breeze, since we have another scheduled day off on May 23.

I say this while crossing my fingers and knocking on wood, but the enjoyment of watching Salem’s first month has been enhanced by the fact that we have had limited transactions, which are usually a minor league staple. Infielder Vladimir Frias got bumped up to Portland to provide some depth for the Sea Dogs, who lost Ryan Dent to a hamstring injury, with Salem receiving James Kang from Greenville. Aside from that and Chris Balcom-Miller’s minor back tweak necessitating the arrival of Miguel Gonzalez, Salem has been a united group that has gotten the opportunity to gel and grow together. Consequently, manager Bruce Crabbe has been able to establish some consistencies in his lineups and day-to-day routines. There’s no doubt in my mind that the overall steadiness of the clubhouse has contributed, at least a little bit, to winning some of these tight games. Incredibly, the Salem Sox are 10-1 in games decided by two runs or less, a testament to the bullpen’s brilliance and a true team mentality. This team got off to a good start, which bred confidence. Providing stability only enhanced what this team has been able to do.

Before Drake Britton’s sixth Carolina League start, back-up catcher Matt Spring had a chat with Salem Red Sox Pitching Coach Kevin Walker. Scheduled to be Britton’s battery-mate for just the second time on Saturday, Spring wanted to simplify the plan for Britton by relying almost exclusively on the fastball in the opening innings. As Spring explained it to me, opposing hitters at this level do not face 93-95 mph heaters from lefties very often, so why not have Britton use his top tool to gain some confidence and try to find a rhythm. Spring kept flashing the number one, and Britton pounded the zone incessantly in the first three innings. Each of the first eight Pelicans in the lineup made contact, but seven of the eight made outs. The lone single Britton surrendered in the third inning was quickly erased by Spring’s laser throw to second, nabbing an aspiring base-stealer. The final out of the third doubled as Drake’s first strikeout, as the number-nine hitter stood overmatched by Britton’s terminator.

The most encouraging aspect of Britton’s outing was his response to giving up a solo homer in the top of the fifth. Yes, it was a bomb, but Spring did not care. Even after the four-bagger, the Red Sox had a lead, 3-1, and Britton had executed his fastball just as Spring had called for it, something he would continue to do through the end of the sixth inning. Britton began mixing in his curve and change during the second trip through the lineup, and the Pelicans did not muster another hit against Salem’s Opening Day starter who finally felt on track. The stat line: 6 IP, 2 H, R, ER, 2 K, 0 BB. Sure, he might have enjoyed racking up more strikeouts, but at the same time, his first Carolina League win had arrived. With it comes confidence and the ability to perhaps be more ambitious in early-game pitch calling next time on the mound. Or he just keep relying on his heater, which could be considered a plus-pitch right now. Said Spring: “[Britton’s] a guy who could have no-hitter stuff every time he takes the mound.”

Lastly, it was great to see center-fielder Peter Hissey jack his first homer of 2011 in the first inning on Friday night off Myrtle Beach southpaw Robbie Erlin. With a different ballpark or friendlier wind currents, it easily could have been Hissey’s fourth or fifth of the season. The 21-year-old speedster has made significant strides in terms of driving the ball and adding some legitimate pop to his offensive repertoire. With the first one out of the way, it would not shock me at all to see Hissey finish the year with between five and ten home runs. That could be bad news for the hand of Salem Sox Hitting Coach Alex Ochoa, which Hissey drilled with one of the most enthusiastic high-fives I have ever seen upon his return to the dugout. Said the former major leaguer Ochoa, “He almost broke my hand.”

Statistically Speaking

Scoring first is nice, but not an absolute necessity in baseball. Most games have lead changes over the course of nine innings, so drawing first blood is not essential. Through 28 games, the Salem Sox have scored first exactly half the time. When the opponent scores first, Salem is 6-8. When the Red Sox score first, they are 14-0.

After a ten-day homestand, the Sox finally get a crack in the top of the first inning the next three days in Wilmington.

A Closing Haiku

Break-dancing bat boy,

It sounds crazy, don’t you think.

Saturday, Salem.

Lepler’s Learnings will be posted every Monday on “Salem Sox Talk.” Fans can listen to every Salem Red Sox game with Voice of the Red Sox “Evan Lepler” on NewsTalk960 WFIR and online at www.salemsox.com. Evan welcomes your e-mails at elepler@salemsox.com.

May 5, 2011 7:05 PM Myrtle Beach Pelicans (17-9) vs Salem Red Sox (17-7) Game #25

LewisGale Field                      Salem, VA                   Home Game #16

Probable Starters: RHP Ryan Kelly (1-1, 6.10) vs RHP Ryan Pressly (3-0, 2.33)

Bring on the Birds: Thursday night brings the first matchup of the season between the Salem Sox and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the first Carolina League matchup ever between Boston and Texas’ Advanced-A affiliates. After 12 years as an Atlanta farm club, Myrtle Beach’s affiliation changed this past offseason. The Salem Sox went 28-12 against the Pelicans over the past two seasons, but the Rangers’ minor leaguers appear to be prime for a much tighter competition. Salem and Myrtle enter this series with the two best records in the League with 34 wins and 16 losses in 50 combined games.

Will the Real Sox Offense Please Stand Up?: After an incredible month of April, in which Salem scored 131 runs in 21 games, the Red Sox have scored just 6 runs in the first three games in May. The 1-2 start to the month can be traced to the offense’s struggles. Salem has hit just .172 thus far in May with only two extra-base hits. In April, the Red Sox hit  .291 with 91 extra-base hits! In reality, Salem’s torrid first month can be specified to an 11-game stretch from April 17 to April 27. During those 11 games, Salem went 9-2 and hit .343 with 15 home runs and 95 runs scored. But in the most recent seven games, Salem has hit just .215 (44-for-205). This stretch is reminiscent to the first week of the season, when the Red Sox hit .205 in their first six games. To summarize, the Sox hit .205 in the first six, .343 over the next 11, and are batting .215 in the last seven.

Bullpen Banter: While the offense has been streaky, Salem’s stable of relievers has been steady. The Sox bullpen has a collective ERA of 2.08 and consistently has served as the anchor to Salem’s early-season success, earning saves in all 11 opportunities thus far in 2011. The backbones of the pen have been Jeremiah Bayer, who has a 2-0 record and 0.54 ERA in 16.2 IP, and Anatanaer Batista, who owns a 3-0 mark with a 1.10 ERA in 16.1 IP. In addition, Kendal Volz has compiled a 1.35 ERA in seven outings spanning 13.1 IP, while Cesar Cabral has shined as the primary closer, picking up six saves and a victory in eight appearances with a 2.13 ERA. The entire pitching staff possesses a 3.48 ERA, second best in the Carolina League, and has surrendered just nine home runs, fewest allowed in the circuit.

A Baseless Accusation: For the first time since April 10, Salem firstbaseman/DH was denied a single base in Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to Kinston. Rodriguez went 0-4 with two strikeouts to snap his 21-game streak of reaching base at least once. Having served as the cleanup hitter in each of Salem’s first 24 games, the finale vs Kinston was just the second time all season that Rodriguez failed to reach base. The 21-game groove is the longest such streak in the Carolina League so far this season, six games superior than the next longest, which is owned by Salem center-fielder Peter Hissey (15 games from April 14-May 1). Rodriguez raked an even .400 (30-75) with four homers, 13 doubles, one triple, and 21 RBI during the scorching stretch, with identical walk and strikeout totals (12 each) to boot. His .357 average is second best in the league, and he leads the circuit in doubles, extra-base hits, and runs scored.