Carolina League Report

Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles)
Overall: 15-15, Last week: 4-3
A season high in runs helped the Frederick Keys beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks, 10-8, last Sunday and move back to .500 for the first time since April 28. Jarod Rine, Mike Russell and Mario Delgado all homered for the Keys.

Kinston Indians (Cleveland Indians)
Overall: 18-11, Last week: 5-2
The Kinston Indians received some outstanding pitching last week to remain 2.5 games ahead of Winston-Salem in the Carolina League Southern Division race. Only once did an opponent score more than three runs. Rafael Perez was the most dominant pitcher as he won his fourth game by limiting Lynchburg to one run in six innings last Monday.

Lynchburg Hillcats (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Overall: 18-12, Last week: 3-4
The Lynchburg Hillcats went through their first three-game losing streak this week, although they were able to maintain a three-game lead in the Carolina League Northern Division. The Hillcats did keep the week from becoming a disaster by winning a three-game series against Myrtle Beach. Josh Shortslef earned his first win by allowing only one run in six innings in Sunday's 7-5 win.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Atlanta Braves)
Overall: 16-15, Last week: 4-3
Thanks to Chuck James and Brady Endl, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans were able to stay in the Carolina League Southern Division title race. James threw six shutout innings and struck out nine to beat Salem, 4-1, last Tuesday. The following night, Endl went seven scoreless frames to beat the Avalanche, 5-0.

Potomac Nationals (Washington Nationals)
Overall: 14-16, Last week: 4-3
A three-game winning streak helped the Potomac Nationals move to within two games of .500. On Wednesday, Brett Price and Oscar Lira combined to pitch the Nationals to a 6-0 shutout of Wilmington. The following night, the bats did the job in a 13-10 win over the Blue Rocks. Kory Casto and Josh Whitesell both drove in four runs that night.

Salem Avalanche (Houston Astros)
Overall: 10-20, Last week: 2-5
The Salem Avalanche continued to have the weakest offense in the Carolina League and fell farther to the bottom of the Southern Division. They scored four or fewer runs in every game last week, four times two or fewer. They are bringing up the rear in most major offensive categories, including batting average (.215).

Wilmington Blue Rocks (Boston Red Sox)
Overall: 13-17, Last week: 3-4
Luis Mendoza and Randall Beam's combined shutout of Potomac last Tuesday was the highlight of an otherwise ordinary week for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Mendoza threw seven shutout innings and Beam handled the final two frames in the five-hit, 3-0 win. Outfielder Bryan Pitz added some pop by hitting .375.

Winston-Salem Warthogs (Chicago White Sox)
Overall: 16-14, Last week: 3-4
A three-game losing streak left the Winston-Salem Warthogs with a losing record for the week, although they did break the skid in a big way. Winston-Salem exploded for a 13-4 win over Potomac on Sunday, including a massive game by Leo Daigle. He went 5-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs. He now leads the Carolina League with 25 RBIs.