If the Salem Avalanche has had an ace this season, Polin Trinidad has been it.

The Dominican left-hander allowed just six runs in his first five starts combined, earning praise not only for his pitches but for his gamesmanship -- a trait that is rare amongst Single-A pitchers.

On Thursday, Trinidad took the mound against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the top team in the Carolina League's Southern Division.

He felt good, he said. But Pelicans leadoff hitter Yohan Silva knocked Trinidad's second pitch deep to right field. Orlando Rosales was there to catch it, but still ...

"I said 'Wow,' " Trinidad said.

Silva proved a harbinger. For the first time this season, Trinidad showed his human side. He allowed six runs, including two home runs, in six innings as the Avalanche dropped a 6-2 decision to Myrtle Beach at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.

"It's very disappointing," said Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits, whose team fell to 12-14, 3 ¹₂ games behind the Pelicans. "This is the first-place team in the league and we played real well [Wednesday] night.

"We're missing out on an opportunity."

Salem played errorless baseball in its 5-0 win over Kinston on Wednesday but committed two errors to allow two unearned runs to score on Thursday.

"It's disappointing to me how some players let their offense affect their defense," Pankovits said. "It hurts them and it hurts the team."

Salem outhit the Pelicans, getting 11 hits to Myrtle Beach's 12, but scored only two runs. Ryan Reed went 3-for-4 with a double and scored in the third on a groundout by Jordan Parraz. Tim Torres singled and scored in the third on a single by Jimmy Van Ostrand (3-for-4).

But the Avalanche left 11 runners on base, failing to capitalize on its scoring chances.

Even with its offensive and defensive struggles this season, Salem has been able to count on Trinidad (2-1) to keep it from plunging into an extended slump.

But three pitches after Silva's fly out, Brandon Hicks (4-for-5) yanked Trinidad's offering over the wall in left field.

"It was back-to-back hard balls," Trinidad said. "I felt pretty good. But I can't control the ball today. I have to say, 'It happens.' "

Trinidad walked the next batter, Tyler Flowers, and Ernesto Mejia doubled to bring Flowers home.

The Pelicans scored two unearned runs in the second inning when Brandon Powell reached on an error by second baseman Greg Buchanan and the Pelicans followed with three singles and three fielder's choice grounders.

With one out in the fifth inning, Mejia hit his second homer of the night -- a two-run shot -- and the second Trinidad has allowed this season.

"He wasn't sharp today and he couldn't pitch around a couple of defensive mistakes we made," Pankovits said. "One of the most important things these kids can learn is consistency -- to consistently play up to their abilities.

"[Wednesday] night we played up to our abilities in every area. Tonight we took a step back."

Note

Infielder Wladimir Sutil has been called up to Double-A Corpus Christi. He hit .268 with Salem this season. No replacement has yet been designated.

How the runs scored

Myrtle Beach first: One out. Hicks homered. Flowers walked. Mejia doubled, Flowers scored. Pelicans 2, Avalanche 0.

Myrtle Beach second: Powell reached on an error by Buchanan. Owings singled, Powell to second. Lundahl reached on a fielder's choice, Powell to third, Owings out at second. Silva fielder's choice, Powell scored, Lundahl out at second. Hicks singled, Silva to second. Runners move up to second and third on a passed ball by Clemens. Flowers singled, Silva scored. Pelicans 4, Avalanche 0.

Salem third: Reed singled. Buchanan flied out. Torres singled, Reed to third. Parraz grounded out, Reed scored, Torres to second. Ori walked. Van Ostrand singled, Torres scored. Pelicans 4, Avalanche 2.

Myrtle Beach fifth: Hicks singled. Flowers grounded into a fielder's choice, Hicks out at second. Mejia homered, Flowers scored. Pelicans 6, Avalanche 2.

MYRTLE BEACH SALEM

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Silva 5 1 0 1 Buchanan 5 0 1 0

Hicks 5 1 4 1 Torres 4 1 1 0

Flowers 3 2 1 1 Parraz 4 0 0 1

Mejia 4 1 2 3 Ori 4 0 0 0

Cabrera 4 0 0 0 Van Ostrand 4 0 3 1

Rodriguez 4 0 1 0 Rosales 4 0 1 0

Powell 4 1 1 0 Clemens 4 0 1 0

Owings 4 0 1 0 Florentino 4 0 1 0

Lundahl 4 0 0 0 Reed 4 1 3 0

Totals 37 6 10 6 Totals 37 2 11 2

Myrtle Beach 220 020 000 -- 6

Salem 002 000 000 -- 2

E--Buchanan (3), Torres (5). DP--Salem. 2B-- (Mejia, Powell, Hicks, Rosales, Reed). HR--Hicks (4), Mejia (3). LOB--Myrtle Beach 5, Salem 11. SB--Buchanan (3). CS--Rosales (3). PO--Owings.

IP H R ER BB SO

Myrtle Beach

Heath 5 9 2 2 2 6

Butts 2 1 0 0 1 3

Dumesnil 1 1 0 0 0 1

Tejeda 1 0 0 0 0 0

Salem

Trinidad 6 9 6 4 1 1

Diaz 2 1 0 0 0 3

Appell 1 0 0 0 0 1

WP-- Heath (4-0). LP-- Trinidad (2-1). Umpires-- Home: Segal; Bases: Soucy. T-- 2:37. Att.--3,827.