K-Tribe ends regular season in style

Published in Sports on September 4, 2007 1:49 PM

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Chris Gimenez trotted home for the game-winning run on a bases-loaded walk and Kinston edged Myrtle Beach 4-3 in the regular-season finale for both teams Monday evening.

Tied at 3-3, Jerad Head drew the free pass to score Gimenez and give the K-Tribe its sixth consecutive victory.

Right-hander Steven Wright (3-2) permitted six hits in five innings along with one earned run. Josh Tomlin and Ryan Edell each tossed one inning of scoreless relief. Eric Stiller supplied two innings of one-hit relief for his fourth save of the season.

Beau Mills and Wes Hodges (3-for-4) combined for three RBI in the opening inning. Myrtle Beach pulled within 3-2 until Head collected the game-winning RBI.

During the game, Kinston shortstop Josh Rodriguez stole two bases, giving him 21 for the season. He became just the second K-Tribe player in franchise history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season.

Meanwhile, pitcher Jim Deters concluded regular-season play with a league-leading 2.24 earned run average. Reliever Scott Roehl took home the Carolina League save title with 24, while Rodriguez is the league's top scorer with 84 runs.

Kinston tallied a franchise-record 782 runs and compiled 87 victories, the sixth-highest, single-season win total in franchise history.

The K-Tribe begins defense of their Southern Division championship best-of-three series at home Wednesday against Salem. Game time is 7 p.m. at historic Grainger Stadium.