So much for getting a fresh start.

The Salem Avalanche finished second in the Southern Division in the first half of the season, winning its last six games. But it lost a couple of all-stars to call-ups after the break, and it seems they took some of Salem's mojo with them.

The Avalanche mustered five hits in seven innings against Winston-Salem starter Kyle McCulloch on its way to a 4-2 Carolina League loss at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium on Wednesday night.

"He's a good pitcher," Salem outfielder Mitch Einertson said. "But we didn't really have the at-bats we should have. We're kind of going out of our boundaries right now, even myself.

"I'm not really pressing, but I'm not really relaxing."

The loss was Salem's third straight and the fourth in five games to open the second half. Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits had said it would be important for the team to get off to a good start in the second half.

On Wednesday, he wasn't talking.

Pankovits was ejected in the sixth inning. Salem was already down 4-0 when Mark Ori of the Avalanche led off with a grounder toward third. Javier Castillo fielded at throw to Micah Schnurstein at first. Base umpire Matt Cunningham called Ori out; Pankovits came sprinting out of the dugout to argue that Ori had gotten to first before the throw.

On the way out to first, Pankovits kicked the rosin bag a few times on the way toward first to argue. Pitcher Kyle McCulloch retrieved the bag and dropped it again behind the mound, but when Pankovits was tossed out of the game, he kicked the bag off to the third-base side of the field on his way out.

After he crossed outside the baseline, Pankovits tossed the bag back toward the mound so McCulloch wouldn't have to retrieve it again.

The Avalanche put runners on base in every inning but the eighth, but managed only two runs.

Einertson doubled to lead off the fourth inning, went to third on a single by Chris Johnson and scored on a wild pitch by McCulloch.

In the ninth, Ryan Reed led off with a double off reliever Jon Lujan, went to third on a fly out and scored on a single by Wladimir Sutil.

But the Warthogs had already scored enough runs to win before the Avalanche got on the board.

Winston-Salem scored two runs on three singles and an error by Einertson in the third inning and added two more in the fourth when Salem starter Sergio Perez gave up a walk, a single and a double.

Notes

Relief pitcher Rodrigo Escobar joined the Avalanche on Wednesday but is "a couple of weeks away" from pitching, coach Larry Pierson said. Escobar was marooned in his home country of Colombia with visa problems for all of spring training and much of the first half of the season. ... Reliever Evan Englebrook sprained his ankle jumping off the bullpen fence in Kinston on Tuesday. "It's only three feet," Englebrook said, shaking his head. Englebrook was wearing a protective boot on Wednesday, but Pierson said he would likely be ready to pitch in a few days. ... Reliever Sean Walker is free from his boot but has not yet begun to throw. Walker is recovering from a high ankle sprain.

HOW THEY SCORED

Winston-Salem third: One out. Orlando singled and stole second. Valido grounded out; Orlando to third. Hundson singled; Orlando scored. Schnuerstein singled and went to second on an error by Einertson; Hudson scored. Warthogs 2, Avalanche 0.

Winston-Salem fourth: Cook walked. Roberts singled; Cook to second. Castillo doubled; Cook scored; Roberts to third. Ricks grounded out; Roberts scored; Castillo to third. Warthogs 4, Avalanche 0.

Salem fourth: Einertson doubled. Ori popped out. Johnson singled; Einertson to third. Einertson scored on a wild pitch from McCulloch. Warthogs 4, Avalanche 1.

Salem ninth: Reed doubled. Rosales flied out. Lopez flied out; Reed to third. Sutil singled; Reed scored. Warthogs 4, Avalanche 2.

WINSTON-SALEM SALEM

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Valido ss 4 0 0 0 Quintero lf 5 0 1 0

Hudson 2b 4 1 1 1 Torres 2b 3 0 0 0

Schnurstein 1b 4 0 2 0 Einertson cf 4 1 1 0

Armstrong c 4 0 0 0 Ori 1b 4 0 0 0

Cook lf 3 1 0 0 Johnson 3b 4 0 2 0

Roberts rf 3 1 2 0 Reed dh 2 1 1 0

Castillo 3b 4 0 1 1 Rosales rf 4 0 0 0

Ricks dh 4 0 0 1 Lopez c 4 0 0 0

Orlando cf 4 1 1 0 Sutil ss 2 0 2 1

Totals 34 4 7 3 Totals 32 2 7 1

Winston-Salem 002 200 000 -- 4

Salem 000 100 001 -- 2

E--Einertson (3). DP--Winston-Salem 2. LOB--Winston-Salem 5, Salem 8. 2B--Castillo (19), Roberts (12), Einertson (23), Sutil (7), Reed (7). SB--Orlando (13), Sutil (15), Quintero (3).

IP H R ER BB SO

Winston-Salem

McCulloch W, 7-5 7 5 1 1 5 1

Lujan S, 8 2 2 1 1 0 1

Salem

Perez L, 4-5 7 7 4 3 1 2

Shortell 2 0 0 0 0 2

WP--McCulloch 2. HBP--by Shortell (Roberts).

Umpires--Ward, home; Cunningham, bases.

T--2:21. A--2,375.