SALEM, VA (Saturday, July 28) - The Salem Red Sox found their offensive groove late on Saturday night, scoring two runs in the fifth and four more in the eighth to put away a 7-2 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash at Haley Toyota Field.The Sox (17-19, 49-55) snapped out of
SALEM, VA (Saturday, July 28) - The Salem Red Sox found their offensive groove late on Saturday night, scoring two runs in the fifth and four more in the eighth to put away a 7-2 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash at Haley Toyota Field.
The Sox (17-19, 49-55) snapped out of a four-game skid and never trailed Saturday night, rolling up 13 hits and going 6-15 with runners in scoring position. Winston-Salem (22-14, 63-43) didn't get their fifth hit until the ninth inning and bounced into three inning-ending double plays, including one that ended the game.
The Sox struck first in the bottom of the third inning against Winston-Salem starting pitcher John Parke (L, 3-2). Chris Madera led off with a single and swiped second base. After Tyler Hill grounded out to third for the first out, Brett Netzer shredded a double into the gap in right-center field, scoring Madera to put the Sox out front 1-0.
Winston-Salem answered in the top of the fourth against Salem starter Tanner Houck (W, 6-11). With Yermin Mercedes at first and one away, Houck dealt a wild pitch, allowing Mercedes to speed to second. Gavin Sheets took advantage, knocking an RBI single to score Mercedes and tie the game up at 1-1.
Salem moved ahead to stay in the bottom of the fifth inning. Madera reached on a bunt single to open the frame, and Yeyson Yrizarri's throw to first was very high, caroming into the stands; Madera moved up to second on the error. Hill grounded out to third again, but Netzer rocketed a double off the wall in right, scoring Madera. C.J. Chatham followed that up with an RBI single, scoring Netzer and running the lead to 3-1 for Salem.
After Dash reliever Devan Watts held them in check in the sixth and seventh innings, the Sox broke the game wide open in the bottom of the eighth against new reliever Blake Hickman. Michael Osinski cracked a one-out single into center, and scooted to second on a wild pitch by Hickman. Victor Acosta hit a high fly ball that just evaded Blake Rutherford in left for a double, with Osinski advancing to third after seeing whether the ball would be caught. Ryan Scott bounced a hard grounder up the middle, scoring both baserunners. The Sox weren't done yet, as Madera singled to advance Scott to second base, and Hill knocked a single to center to score Scott and move Madera up to third. Netzer lofted a sacrifice fly to left-center field, scoring Madera and running the lead to 7-1.
The Dash earned a run back in the top of the ninth against Salem reliever Jake Cosart, who surrendered a leadoff double to Rutherford and an RBI single to Yermin Mercedes to trim the lead to 7-2. However, Cosart recovered to strike out Gavin Sheets before Ti'Quan Forbes singled sharply through the left side to put runners at first and second. Yrizarri hit a grounder to third, and Bobby Dalbec whipped it to Netzer at second before Netzer fired it along to first for a game-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Houck was dazzling, allowing one run on three hits and a walk while fanning four. Jared Oliver tossed two shutout frames of relief with four strikeouts mitigating a hit and two walks. Cosart gave up a run on two hits and whiffed one in one inning.
The Sox will aim for a series win Sunday afternoon, with southpaw Darwinzon Hernandez taking the ball for Salem against Dash righty Luis Martinez. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 3:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.
