The large crowd in attendance at Salem Memorial Stadium for Wednesday night’s Carolina League Southern Division best-of-three playoff was clamoring for a big hit. In the end, it was a high chopper up the middle and a pair of slow rollers that paved the way for Salem’s dramatic 1-0 walk-off win in ten innings over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
The win put the Sox up 1-0 in the series with game two set for Thursday night in Myrtle Beach and game three, if necessary, likewise scheduled for the Grand Strand on Friday.
Wednesday night’s opener quickly developed into a pitcher’s duel between two of the hottest hurlers in the league. Luis Diaz started for the Red Sox and was a model of efficiency in throwing eight scoreless innings with only 90 pitches, 62 of which were strikes. Equally impressive on the Myrtle Beach side was Pelican starter Alec Asher, who has not given up an earned run in a month, throwing 101 pitches, 67 for strikes, over seven frames. Both teams went to their respective bullpens as the game worked its way to the bottom of the tenth with things still deadlocked at 0.
Matty Johnson got things going in the Salem 10th with a high chopper up the middle that was fielded by the Pelicans, but no match for Johnson’s speed as he beat out the single. Henry Ramos kept the rally intact with a slow bouncer to the right side that left Myrtle Beach reliever Josh McElwee late in covering at first and a triangulation of Pelicans standing 10 feet from the bag as Ramos scooted safely across the base. Cody Kobacks then fought off a 1-2 pitch with a slow roller toward third that Pelican third baseman Drew Robinson picked barehanded before throwing high to first with the ball sailing down the right field line and Johnson easily crossing the plate with the winner. The Red Sox spilled out of the dugout, mobbing Kovacks as the celebration rolled into right field.
Salem righty Madison Younginer picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Red Sox pitching was helped by three double plays being turned by the Salem infield. Salem outhit the Pelicans 9-6 with all Salem safeties coming in the form of singles.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, Red Sox media director Evan Lepler talked about Salem’s late-season push that saw the Red Sox climb from third place in the Southern Division standings to win the division going away.
“It was amazing how it all came together, ” Lepler noted. “In the past five weeks the team has done well in clutch situations. When a game was on the line and it could go either way, we were having it go our way. We were getting the breaks and making our own breaks to pick up wins. This team exceeded all expectations.”
Lepler said the playoff format of one home game followed by the final two on the road has its advantages and disadvantages. “We’re at home for game one, so that means Myrtle Beach has to travel twice-here and back to Myrtle Beach.for game two. If you win game one, both teams face traveling to play the same day. Obviously, if you lose the opener in your park and have to win twice there, it looks bleak.”
Salem avoided that scenario Wednesday, and will look to advance to play the winner of the Northern Division matchup between Potomac and Lynchburg with one more win over the Pelicans.
– Bill Turner
