Salem's Dalbec, Kemp bash way to win
Led by the long ball, Salem's offense proved to be a juggernaut Tuesday.Red Sox No. 12 prospectBobby Dalbec and Trenton Kemp blasted two home runs apiece as the Class A Advanced Red Sox bested the Dash, 8-4, at Haley Toyota Field.
Led by the long ball, Salem's offense proved to be a juggernaut Tuesday.
Red Sox No. 12 prospect
Gameday box score
After homering in three straight games from July 5-7, Dalbec went for 3-for-6 in his next two games. He went a perfect 4-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs on Tuesday. .
"I just stopped putting a lot of pressure on myself to produce," the 23-year-old told MiLB.com after that hitting two long balls on July 7. "It ended up working out for me. I'm just doing what I'm capable of. I feel really good sticking with the process, just trying to do the little things well and not try to hit every pitch at once. Just sticking with what I know I can do."
Dalbec beat out an infield single to third base in the first inning. He bashed his first homer of the night to left-center field in the third to score
"I think this is me not trying to do too much," he said last week. "I have my bat through the zone longer so I can connect on more pitches. If I can get the ball in the air, there's a decent chance it's going to go out or split the gap. I'm trying to go gap-to-gap and have fun up there."
In the fifth, Dalbec followed up with his 21st homer of the season to the same spot, plating Netzer once again. He grounded a single to right in the seventh.
"I'm not trying to just make contact. A lot of people outside the organization, all they talk about are strikeout numbers and stuff like that," Dalbec told MiLB.com. "It's going to happen. That's the thing being a power hitter: It's frustrating sometimes, but it's not something I put too much thought into. I treat a weak contact groundout the same as a strikeout. I focus on quality at-bats and getting deep into the count when I need to. I think I've done a pretty good job at that, my walk numbers are a lot higher. I'm trying to make it all come together without pressing."
Dalbec tops all of the Minor Leagues with 75 RBIs while leading the Carolina League with 21 home runs.
Kemp notched his sixth dinger in the fourth on a line drive to left-center. The 22-year-old replicated the feat in the sixth.
He has gone yard four times in nine games after homering only three times in his previous 46 contests.
Netzer picked up three hits and drove in a run.
Red Sox No. 4 prospect
Marisa Ingemi is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Ingemi.