Salem Perplex Potomac in 3-1 Win Monday

SALEM, VA (Monday, July 23) - The early start Monday morning didn't faze the Salem Red Sox, with a Jerry Downs homer and a superb team pitching effort lifting them to a 3-1 win over the Potomac Nationals at Haley Toyota Field. 
The Sox (16-15, 47-50) thwarted a three-game sweep and broke out of a three-game skid with the win, regaining a bit of momentum heading into a vital mid-week series. Potomac (13-17, 50-47) got the tying run to the plate in the eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to get past second base in either frame. The Red Sox relief corps of Joan Martinez (H, 2) and Harrison Cooney (S, 2) were outstanding, combining for three no-hit innings and striking out eight to help the Sox to a season-best 16 strikeouts on the day; it matched the Red Sox-era (2009-present) record, set June 6, 2016 at the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Salem took the early lead in the bottom of the third against Potomac starting pitcher Kyle Johnston, who walked Chris Madera to open the frame. C.J. Chatham pummeled a double into the right-center field gap, and advanced to third on a balk by Johnston. With one out, Bobby Dalbec lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Chatham and running the lead to 2-0.
The Sox tacked on another in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Jerry Downs smashed a solo blast to right field. It was his seventh bomb of the year, and it gave Salem a 3-0 edge.
Potomac broke through against Salem starter Tanner Houck in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Jack Sundberg dropped a bunt to the left side that Houck fielded cleanly, but his throw to first was wild, allowing Sundberg to reach second on the miscue. Houck recovered to whiff Luis Garcia, but Ian Sagdal slashed an RBI double to right to plate Sundberg and cut Salem's lead to 3-1. However, that was as close as the P-Nats would get, as they only got two baserunners aboard the rest of the way.
Houck was dazzling in his six innings of work, allowing an unearned run on four hits while fanning eight batters without a walk. Martinez hit a batter but was otherwise flawless, whiffing six batters for all his outs over two innings. Cooney worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to strike out two batters in a scoreless inning of work.
The Sox will hit the road for a three-game series against the division-leading Wilmington Blue Rocks starting Tuesday. Lefty Darwinzon Hernandez will start the opener for Salem. First pitch from Frawley Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.