SALEM, Va. (Sept. 2, 2017) - The Dash could not solve Red Sox starter Daniel Gonzalez, who combined with Daniel McGrath to hold Winston-Salem to one run on five hits as Salem took Saturday's series opener 5-1 at Haley Toyota Field.Gonzalez (5-0) spun seven shutout innings, striking out a season-high nine
SALEM, Va. (Sept. 2, 2017) - The Dash could not solve Red Sox starter Daniel Gonzalez, who combined with Daniel McGrath to hold Winston-Salem to one run on five hits as Salem took Saturday's series opener 5-1 at Haley Toyota Field.
Gonzalez (5-0) spun seven shutout innings, striking out a season-high nine batters on a season-best 96 pitches, allowing just three hits and no walks. Following a second-inning double by Matt Rose, Gonzalez set down the final 17 Dash (29-38, 53-84) batters he faced. The Venezeulan native has not surrendered a run in his last 20.1 innings, spanning three starts, on the mound for Salem.
After being held hitless for the first 2.1 innings, the Red Sox were able to strike for a run against Yosmer Solorzano (0-1) in the third. With one out in the frame, Jordan Betts laced a double down the right field line. Two batters later, Tyler Spoon smoked a grounder to short that Ti'Quan Forbes could not pick cleanly. The ball skirted into left field as Betts came around to score and give Salem a 1-0 lead.
Solorzano lasted 4.2 innings in his first High-A start, allowing an additional run in the fifth on a leadoff homer by Conrad Gregor. Solorzano surrendered four hits and walked four while striking out two over 103 pitches.
The Red Sox (33-34, 73-63) would add three more in the seventh against Winston-Salem reliever Mike Morrison. With two outs in the inning and runners at first and second, Spoon roped a two-run single to left, plating Gregor and Betts. The next batter Austin Rei ripped a double to left to bring home Spoon and push Salem out to a 5-0 advantage they would not relinquish.
Winston-Salem would scratch across its only run in the eighth inning. With Forbes at second and two down in the frame, Daniel Gonzalez blooped a single off McGrath into shallow right field that scored Forbes and closed the Dash's deficit to four.
In the loss, Louis Silverio extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a first-inning single. Silverio is hitting .410 (16-for-39) during this stretch with four RBIs. The Florida native is one game shy of the longest hitting streak by a Winston-Salem player this year.
Zach Thompson tossed a flawless eighth frame in relief on Saturday. Over his last nine innings pitched, the Burleson, Texas, native has not given up an earned run.
The Dash and Red Sox continue their rain-altered series with a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1:05 p.m. from Haley Toyota Field. Dane Dunning (5-8, 3.73 ERA) gets the call for Winston-Salem in game one against Salem righty Mike Shawaryn (5-4, 3.94 ERA), while the Dash will send southpaw Ian Clarkin (0-0, 2.25 ERA) to the bump in game two opposite Red Sox lefty Logan Boyd (3-1, 2.47 ERA). Coverage of Sunday's twin bill begins at 12:50 p.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App. For more information, visit wsdash.com.
