Salem’s single wins it for Biscuits in the ninth
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Contributed Emeel Salem chopped a base-hit over a drawn-in infield scoring Chris De La Cruz in the bottom of the ninth to send the Biscuits (54-43) to a 6-5 victory over the Carolina Mudcats (45-53), snapping a four-game losing streak Saturday at Riverwalk. De La Cruz had begun the inning with a single to right. After Craig Albernaz used a sacrifice bunt to advance him to second, Shawn O’Malley singled to center to put runners at the corners. Salem’s game winner bounced over third baseman Jose Castro in short left. The Biscuits had staked a 3-0 lead after one thanks to a pair of errors on Carolina starter Daryl Thompson in the first. The Mudcats, though, would score twice in the second and then twice more in the fifth to take their first lead at 4-3. Leslie Anderson would follow a leadoff single from Drew Anderson in the sixth with a homer to right field, putting the Biscuits back on top at 5-4. A Jose Castro sacrifice fly tied things at 5-5 in the seventh, setting up Salem’s heroics. Biscuits starter Alex Torres allowed five runs on eight hits over six innings in a no-decision, striking out four and walking one. Thompson lasted only four innings, allowing three runs while walking two and fanning two. The win went to Dane De La Rosa (7-2), who tossed a scoreless top of the ninth. Paul Phillips contributed two key scoreless relief frames as well. The Biscuits beat Jerry Gil (3-5), who has now blown four of nine save opportunities this season. Leslie Anderson led the charge for the Biscuits, going 3-4. |
