SALEM, Va. – The Salem Red Sox are playing much improved ball in the past three weeks leading up to and immediately following the All-Star break. Outfielder Marcus Wilson certainly deserves some of the credit. Wilson earned Carolina League player of the week honors after batting .615 and hitting 4 home runs in a short week after the break.
Since joining Salem on May 18 he's hitting .348 with 7 homers and 21 runs batted in. Wilson was acquired from Arizona via trade back in April, and after a lackluster stint in Double A ball, Wilson appears to have found his footing. The former second round pick has added a much needed spark to the Red Sox lineup.
"Definitely just working the right way. Me and Lance have been working hard in the cage since I've gotten here and just the results are now coming into play. But you know it's always the process over results and when you work right, you get rewarded for it," Wilson said.
"For me I'm not as shocked as everyone else. I know he got off to a rough start in Double A but he's been at this level, he's had success at this level. We just had to get him back to a comfortable spot in the batters box and I think right now he's starting to enjoy the game, starting to have fun and it's starting to show out on the field- the potential and talent level he has," Red Sox Manager Corey Wimberly said.
Salem opened a 7-game homestand on Monday night versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Fayetteville's Corey Julks hit a three-run triple off the left field wall, and an ill-timed thunderstorm ended the Red Sox hopes of a comeback. They fell 3-2 in a game that was called after 7 innings.