One day after Grainger Stadium witnessed 23 innings in one single game, the Red Sox and Indians dueled in two seven-inning pitchers’ duels, with Kinston prevailing 2-0 in the opener before Salem swiped the second game 2-1. The K-Tribe broke a scoreless draw in last of the sixth in game one, while the Red Sox utilized a David Mailman two-run homer in the top of the second in the nightcap to assume a 2-1 edge that would not be relinquished.
Salem starter Anthony Ranaudo delivered a headline-worthy performance in game one, but the highly-touted prospect was outshined by Kinston hurler T.J. House, who would have thrown a no-hitter if not for Peter Hissey’s bunt single in the top of the sixth inning. House tossed six innings of one-hit ball against Salem on May 3, but outdid himself with a seven-inning complete game on Monday night, permitting just one hit at a time when Kinston’s depleted bullpen needed a break. Salem only put multiple runners on base once, but failed to score after Hissey and Kolbrin Vitek both reached via a hit and a walk to begin the sixth.
Ranaudo suffered the tough-luck loss, with Kinston scoring twice in peculiar fashion in the last of the sixth. Tyler Holt drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Casey Frawley. After Ranaudo struck out Abner Abreu, catcher Dan Butler errantly launched a pick-off attempt to first that skipped past Michael Almanzar and down the right field line, scoring Holt and moving Frawley to second. A fly-out moved Frawley to third, and a wild pitch brought him home to give Kinston a 2-0 edge, more than enough cushion for House, who earned the win to improve to 4-6 on the season.
Ranaudo allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in five and two thirds innings, dealing 58 of his 95 pitches for strikes. Though his ERA dropped from 3.00 to 2.55, his record also slipped to 1-2 in three Carolina League starts.
Tom Ebert struggled out of the gate in game two, allowing three of the first four men to reach in the first inning and two straight to begin the second. But the righthander minimized the damage in the first couple innings, surrendering just one run in the first before settling down to toss four strong frames. In relief, Jeremiah Bayer earned the victory, improving to 3-1 by blanking the Tribe for three scoreless.
The Sox trailed 1-0 after one in the nightcap, but Butler’s leadoff walk to start the second was immediately followed by Mailman’s dinger, a two-run blast off Clayton Cook that would be enough to make a loser of the Indians righthander who dazzled otherwise. Cook struck out nine in six and two-thirds, but lost to Salem for the second time this season.
The setback in game one officially eliminated the Sox first half title contention. Myrtle Beach leads Kinston by three games in the Southern Division with six days remaining in the half.
All-Star Chris Hernandez is scheduled to start for the Sox on Tuesday night, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 at Grainger Stadium. Kinston has not yet announced a starting pitcher for game three of the four-game, three-day series.
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