SALEM, VA (Thursday, April 26) - The Salem Red Sox ran up an early lead Thursday night and never looked back, rolling to a 9-4 win over the Frederick Keys at Haley Toyota Field to secure a series sweep.The Sox (13-8) picked up their second series sweep of the season,
SALEM, VA (Thursday, April 26) - The Salem Red Sox ran up an early lead Thursday night and never looked back, rolling to a 9-4 win over the Frederick Keys at Haley Toyota Field to secure a series sweep.
The Sox (13-8) picked up their second series sweep of the season, and set a new season-high with 14 hits in the game. Frederick (7-14) lost for the 11th time in their last 13 games, stranding the bases loaded with the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning. Salem stayed a half-game ahead of the Lynchburg Hillcats with the win to maintain control of the Northern Division of the Carolina League.
Salem got the scoring going early in the bottom of the first against Frederick starter Lucas Humpal (L, 0-4). Roldani Baldwin sliced a two-out single to left to begin his tenure with the Sox, and Bobby Dalbec smashed a double to center to plate Baldwin. Jerry Downs kept the good times rolling with an RBI single through the middle, scoring Dalbec and running the Salem lead to 2-0.
The Sox tacked on another in the bottom of the second. Kyri Washington singled with one away, and moved up to second when Chris Madera grounded out to third. After Santiago Espinal drew a walk, Brett Netzer cracked a single back through the box to bring in Washington and extend the lead to 3-0.
Salem doubled their advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dalbec earned a leadoff walk from reliever Matt Trowbridge, and zipped to third on a single by Downs. Tyler Hill earned a walk to load the bases for Ryan Scott, who singled through the middle to plate Dalbec and Downs. After Washington struck out, Madera lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Hill and make it a 6-0 lead for Salem.
The Keys finally got on the board in the top of the seventh against Salem reliever Daniel Gonzalez (W, 3-0). Alejandro Juvier led off with a single, and advanced to second with one out on a single by Stuart Levy. With two away, Cole Billingsley rocked a triple to right field to score both runners and cut the Salem lead down to 6-2.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Mike Burke. Hill led off the frame with a double before Scott singled him home, and Washington doubled Scott to third. With one away, Espinal lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Scott and putting the lead at 8-2 in favor of Salem.
The Keys chipped away again in the top of the eighth against new Salem reliever Joan Martinez, who struck out the first batter he faced before walking Collin Woody and Jake Ring to put runners at first and second. Juvier laced a single to right-center, scoring Woody and moving Ring to third. Martinez then walked Chris Clare to load the bases before fanning Levy for the second out. However, Martinez walked Ryan McKenna to bring in Ring. Salem manager Joe Oliver pulled Martinez for righty Matthew Gorst (S, 2), who got Billingsley to ground out to Netzer to end the frame with the Sox still ahead 8-4.
Salem got a run back in the bottom of the eighth against Burke, as Baldwin led off with a line drive double to left and advanced to third on a fly out by Dalbec. Downs then brought Baldwin in on a sacrifice fly to right, making it a 9-4 lead. Gorst set the side down in order in the ninth to secure the victory for the Sox.
Starter Bryan Mata held the Keys in check through four frames of shutout baseball, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out one and hitting two batters. Gonzalez gave up two runs on five hits and recorded one strikeout in three innings. Martinez was touched up for two runs on one hit and four walks, fanning two batters for his only two outs recorded. Gorst was flawless over 1.1 innings of action, fanning two for the save.
The Sox will open a three-game series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Friday night, with righty Roniel Raudes getting the ball for Salem against Pelicans southpaw Bryan Hudson. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is at 7:05 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.
