Matt Wieters, the Baltimore Orioles' first-round draft pick in 2007, leads the Carolina League in home runs. And while Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium is normally something of a bomb shelter for pitchers, there was a powerful pennant-stiffening wind blowing out of the park on Monday night.

Salem left-hander Polin Trinidad wasn't worried.

"To hit a home run, you have to hit the ball first," Trinidad explained. "If you make a pitch in on the hands, it is very difficult to hit in the air."

Trinidad can make such statements without even a whiff of cockiness because he can make such pitches, seemingly whenever he so chooses. He handcuffed the Frederick Keys for seven innings, leading the Salem Avalanche to a 7-0 Carolina League victory.

Noting Trinidad's efficiency, Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits said that Trinidad might have been able to complete the came, but because of the recent rainouts, some other pitchers have not gotten any work lately. Joel Santo and Bryan Hallberg backed Trinidad each with one shutout inning.

Trinidad's eyes lit up talking about the challenge of facing young, but talented hitters like Wieters, who went 0-for-3 against Trinidad before drawing a walk from Hallberg.

"The first thing is preparation, mental preparation," Trinidad said.

In addition to having command of four pitches -- fastball, change-up, curveball and slider -- pitching coach Gary Ruby said Trinidad is "very bright."

"He has a lot of confidence in himself," Ruby said. "He reads the bat very well. He's a tough cookie and that's probably as important as anything."

The Avalanche (14-20) has struggled this season, but Trinidad is 3-1 with six quality starts in eight starts.

Trinidad allowed a single in the second inning and a walk and a single in the sixth. Only one Frederick runner made it to second base on Trinidad's watch. He struck out four and dropped his ERA to 1.76.

Only once has Trinidad allowed more than two runs and he has not pitched fewer than five innings in a game this season.

"He gives us a chance to win every night and it seems like our ballclub realizes it," Pankovits said. "I don't know if they have more energy, but it seems like it."

Salem gave Trinidad plenty of run support, scoring a run in the first, two in the second, another in the third and two more in the fifth off Frederick starter Brandon Erbe, a Baltimore native and an third-round pick in 2005.

Koby Clemens capped the scoring with a solo homer in the eighth inning.

Jimmy Van Ostrand belted a two-run homer and Clemens had an RBI double and the homer.

Notes

Salem's Nick Moresi left Monday's game after being hit in the forearm by a pitch from Keys starter Brandon Erbe. He was taken for some X-rays, Pankovits said. ... Tim Torres sat out Monday's game with an illness, Pankovits said.

HOW THE RUNS SCORED

Salem first: Florentino singled. Parraz singled, Florentino to third. Ori grounded out, Florentino scored. Avalanche 1, Keys 0.

Salem second: Moresi hit by a pitch by Erbe. Carkeek doubled, Moresi scored. Buchanan hit by a pitch by Erbe. Mena sacrifice bunted, Carkeek to third, Buchanan to second. Florentino grounded out, Carkeek scored. Avalanche 3, Keys 0.

Salem third: Ori doubled. Van Ostrand grounded out, Ori to third. Clemens doubled, Ori scored. Avalanche 4, Keys 0.

Salem fifth: One out. Ori singled. Van Ostrand homered, Ori scored. Avalanche 6, Keys 0.

Salem eighth: Clemens homered. Avalanche 7, Keys 0.

FREDERICK SALEM

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Figueroa cf 4 0 0 0 Florentino 3b 3 1 1 1

Amador lf 3 0 0 0 Parraz rf 4 0 1 0

Wieters c 3 0 0 0 Ori 1b 4 2 2 1

Vinyard dh 4 0 0 0 Van Ostrand lf 4 1 1 2

Tripp rf 4 0 1 0 Clemens dh 4 1 2 2

Rowell 3b 3 0 0 0 Moresi cf 0 1 0 0

Snyder 1b 3 0 0 0 Quintero ph-cf 3 0 0 0

McCarthy ss 3 0 2 0 Carkeek c 4 1 1 1

Abreu 2b 3 0 0 0 Buchanan 2b 3 0 1 0

Mena ss 2 0 0 0

Totals 30 0 3 0 Totals 31 7 9 7

Frederick 000 000 000 -- 0

Salem 121 020 01x -- 7

E-- Snyder (3), LOB -- Lynchburg 6, Salem 4. 2B -- Carkeek (1), Ori (10), Clemens (11). HR -- Van Ostrand (1), Carkeek (1), Clemens (3). CS -- Florentino (4).

IP H R ER BB SO

Frederick

Erbe L, 3-3 5 8 6 6 1 3

Clark 1 0 0 0 0 0

Ouellette 1 0 0 0 0 0

Thall 1 1 1 1 0 2

Salem

Trinidad W, 3-1 7 2 0 0 1 4

Santo 1 1 0 0 0 1

Hallberg 1 0 0 0 1 1

HBP -- Moresi (by Erbe), Buchanan (by Erbe).

T -- 2:38. A -- 1,154