STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS The Roanoke Times

Salem second baseman Aaron Reza forces out Lynchburg's Kris Watts in the seventh inning during the Red Sox's 6-5 loss to the Hillcats at Salem Memorial Ballpark on Wednesday.

STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS The Roanoke Times

Salem manager Chad Epperson (left) and trainer Paul Buchheit tend to pitcher Jason Rice, who leaves after an injury during the Red Sox loss on Wednesday.

It is hard to lead when you don't have any hits.

Brad Correll went 0-for-his first two days in Salem. He got his first hit, an RBI-single, on Tuesday, then went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs on Wednesday.

"Hopefully I can keep it going, hopefully I can help this team," Correll said after the Red Sox fell a run short in a 6-5 Carolina League loss to Lynchburg at Salem Memorial Ballpark. "I'm startin' to lock it in, getting some rest."

The Red Sox trailed 6-1 before scoring four runs on five hits in the eighth inning and leaving a runner at third base in both the eighth and ninth innings.

"Things could've went our way easily, but we didn't get it done," said Salem first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who drove in two runs with a single in the eighth. Correll had an RBI-double in the inning and Jon Hee had a sacrifice fly. Chih-Hsien Chiang had a double and David Mailman and Aaron Reza each singled.

But with Chiang at third base and two outs, Will Vazquez struck out to end the Salem eighth.

In the ninth, Zach Borowiak drew a walk from Lynchburg closer R.J. Rodriguez, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mailman and to third on a wild pitch.

But pinch-hitter Mike Jones hit a sharp grounder to second for the second out of the inning and then Tim Federowicz struck out to end the game.

"I liked the way we fought back," said Salem manager Chad Epperson. "You can take away the playoffs and all of that, but that was fun the way we played in the eighth and ninth innings. If they can play that way, then let the cards fall where they may."

Salem (23-27) is now a game behind Kinston (25-27) in the contest for the Southern Division wild card playoff spot, assuming the Indians don't win the second-half title outright and make a wild card unnecessary. Kinston is one-game behind Winston-Salem (25-25) in the hunt for the division title.

Salem's only run off Lynchburg starter Bryan Morris came courtesy of two errors by shortstop Jordy Mercer and an RBI-single by Correll in the first inning.

After that, it was all Hillcats over the next six innings.

Lynchburg scored two runs on four hits in the second inning. Correll threw out a runner at the plate to save a run and strand two more runners in the third inning and the Hillcats put two more aboard in the fourth before Salem starter Dave McKae's night was over.

Reliever Jose Capellan gave up an unearned run after a leadoff double and a single and an error by Chih-Hsien Chiang in the fifth, and then three more runs -- two earned -- in the sixth.

Alex Presley and Chase D'Arnoud were aboard when Josh Harrison belted a double to right to bring those runners home. Correll threw the ball in to second baseman Anthony Reza. Reza threw to the plate, allowing Harrison to dig for third, and his throw was wild, allowing Harrison to score.

"It felt like we were under fire the first six innings and I thought we did a good job of keeping the damage to a minimum until the sixth," Epperson said. "If they keep you under fire like that eventually they're gonna get to you and they did."

Before things got better, they got worse. Reliever Jason Rice came in to start the seventh inning and something wasn't quite right. Epperson said during his warm-up pitches Rice signalled to catcher Will Vazquez that he was going to throw a curveball, and then threw a fastball instead.

After Matt Hague lined out to Jon Hee at third to start the inning, Rice walked off the mound and Hee, Epperson and trainer Paul Buchheit went out to meet him.

"He said he got a little light-headed," Epperson said. "He said he was all right. He said he just needed a minute, but I decided to err on the side of caution."

Epperson called on Josh Papelbon to replace Rice.

Papelbon gave up four hits in 2 ²₃ innings, but no walks and, more importantly, no runs. When he came into the game, the Red Sox were down 6-1. But that changed in the bottom of the eighth.

"Each at-bat counts for us too," said Rizzo. "Just cause we're down 6-1 doesn't mean we stop playing. It's August now. We have to grind out every at bat and hopefully good things'll happen."

Notes

Jones was out of the lineup as a precautionary measure because of a strained hamstring, Epperson said. "He could have played, but it was a thing where 'do we throw him out there and risk losing him for a few days or do we hold him out today?'" Epperson said. He said that hitting did not bother Jones, just running. ...

Center fielder Che-Hsuan Lin, who left Tuesday's game with pain in his left hand, took batting practice Wednesday and Epperson said could be in the lineup today.

HOW THE RUNS SCORED

Salem first: One out. Reza reached on an error by Mercer. Federowicz reached on a fielder's choice, Reza safe at second on an error by Mercer. Correll singled, Reza scored. Red Sox 1, Hillcats 0.

Lynchburg second: Two outs. Watts doubled. Keel singled, Watts scored. Fryer singled, Keel to third. Presley singled, Keel scored. Hillcats 2, Red Sox 1.

Lynchburg fifth: Mercer doubled. Romak singled and went to second on an error by Chiang, Mercer scored. Hillcats 3, Red Sox 1.

Lynchburg sixth: Fryer walked. Presley reached on a fielder's choice, Fryer out at second. D'Arnound singled, Presley to third. Harrison doubled, went to third on the throw and scored on a throwing error by Reza, Presley scored, d'Arnoud scored. Hillcats 6, Red Sox 1.

Salem eighth: Mailman singled and went to second on a throwing error by Harrison. Reza singled. Federowicz flied out. Correll doubled, Mailman scored, Reza to third. Rizzo singled, Reza scored, Correll scored. Chiang doubled, Rizzo to third. Hee flied out, Rizzo scored. Hillcats 6, Red Sox 5

LYNCHBURG SALEM

ab r h bi ab r h bi

d'Arnaud 2b 5 1 1 0 Mailman cf 4 1 1 0

Harrison 3b 5 1 1 2 Reza 2b 3 2 1 0

Mercer ss 5 1 2 0 Jones a-ph 1 0 0 0

Romak rf 4 0 1 0 Federowicz dh 5 0 0 0

Hague 1b 5 0 1 0 Correll rf 4 1 3 2

Watts dh 5 1 4 0 Rizzo 1b 4 1 1 2

Keel lf 2 1 1 1 Chiang lf 4 0 2 0

Huber lf 3 0 0 0 Hee 3b 3 0 0 1

Fryer c 3 0 2 0 Vazquez c 4 0 0 0

Presley cf 3 1 1 1

Borowiak ss 2 0 0 0

Totals 40 6 14 4 Totals 34 5 8 5

Lynchburg 020 013 000 -- 6

Salem 100 000 040 -- 5

E -- Mercer 2 (19), d'Arnaud (10), Harrison (2), Chiang (4), Reza (3). LOB -- Lynchburg 11, Salem 7. 2B -- Watts 2 (20), Mercer (33), Harrison (4), Fryer (6), Correll 2 (2), Chiang (12).

IP H R ER BB SO

Lynchburg

Morris W,4-6 6 3 1 0 2 2

Bishop 2 5 4 4 0 2

Rodriguez 1 0 0 0 1 1

Salem

McKae L,2-6 4 6 2 2 3 2

Capellan 2 4 4 3 1 3

Rice 1-3 0 0 0 0 0

Papelbon 2 2-3 4 0 0 0 2

Wp -- Morris, Rodriguez, Capellan. Umpires -- Home, Kline; Bases, Goebel. T -- 3:00. A -- 3,328.