Devers delivers as Salem knots semifinals

The regular season may be over, but it doesn't make much difference to Rafael Devers' bat.

Boston's No. 3 prospect homered and drove in three runs Thursday as Class A Advanced Salem beat visiting Myrtle Beach, 5-1, to even its best-of-3 Carolina League series at a game apiece.

Devers helped extend Salem's lead to 2-0 with an RBI single to right field in the third inning. Two frames later, with the Red Sox holding a 3-1 lead, Devers capped the scoring with a one-out, two-run homer over the wall in right-center field of Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.

"He had a big RBI single to drive in our second run and hit a big two-run homer that drove in our insurance runs that took care of the rest of the scoring for us," Red Sox manager Joe Oliver said. "Swung the bat extremely well, saw some pretty good pitches to drive.

"It looked like an off-speed pitch that he stayed back on and drove to one of the deepest parts of our park. I didn't know if it had enough to get up over the wall. [I'm] seeing so many balls that looked like home runs that hit the fence or die at the fence. He stayed back on the ball really well and let it travel and got it out. You could just sense the confidence come back in the ballclub and put us at ease a little bit."

After losing Game 1 to Myrtle Beach, 8-1, on Wednesday, Salem needed to come out strong to stave off elimination. Oliver thought his team did just that, thanks in part to Devers, who had a .906 OPS in 65 second-half games.

"It's huge, backs were up against the wall and facing elimination in a short best-of-3 series. You have to step up to the challenge and the guys responded," the skipper said. "We typically go the way he goes. He had two big hits and drove in three runs for us. What can you say for a guy who has picked it up the way he has in the second half this year?"

Salem starter Trey Ball (1-0), Boston's No. 14 prospect, allowed a run on three hits and two walks while fanning three over 5 2/3 innings.

"Trey Ball pitched extremely well," Oliver said. "He really came out and showed his aggressiveness and carried his velocity through his outing. This was the Trey Ball we saw through July. He answered the bell for us and turned it over to the bullpen."

Jayce Ray hit a solo homer and Joseph Monge scored twice for the Red Sox.

David Bote drove in a run for the Pelicans, who stay in Salem for the decisive Game 3 on Friday.

In other Carolina League playoff action:

Hillcats 6, Nationals 5

Cleveland's No. 3 prospect Bobby Bradley hit a two-out walk-off single with the bases loaded in the 14th inning to force a Game 3. Yonathan Mendoza hit a game-tying double in the 12th, and Francisco Mejia -- the Indians' No. 4 prospect -- slugged a two-run homer. Bryan Mejia had three hits and scored twice for Potomac, which will remain in Lynchburg for Friday's series-deciding game. Box score