Sox, Keys Split Saturday Doubleheader

SALEM, VA (Saturday, July 29, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox finally saw their offense come alive in the second half of their doubleheader against the Frederick Keys Saturday, recording a 6-4 loss in the first game but picking up a 7-4 win in the nightcap at Haley Toyota Field.
The Sox (21-15, 61-44) earned a split of the twinbill and set themselves up for a chance at a series win over the Keys Sunday afternoon. Frederick (17-17, 47-55) took a three-run lead in the first inning of the second game but couldn't maintain it, allowing six runs in the third frame. Salem went 4-9 with runners in scoring position in the nightcap after an 0-7 performance in the first game capped a 7-52 stretch (.135) over six contests.

In the early game, the teams were scoreless until the Keys got to Red Sox starter Roniel Raudes (L, 4-7) in the top of the fifth inning. Leadoff man Glynn Davis singled, and sped home on the ensuing double from Alex Murphy. Chris Clare grounded out to third, but Armando Araiza's grounder to third was mishandled by Jose Sermo; the error moved Murphy up to third base. Ricardo Andujar then singled to center, plating Murphy and sending Araiza to second. Jay Gonzalez popped out, but Ademar Rifaela sent a fastball over the right-field wall for a three-run dinger, making it a 5-0 lead for Frederick.
Salem got on the board in the bottom of the inning against Frederick reliever Alex Katz. Tate Matheny singled with two away, and Jeremy Rivera hit a rocket to deep center that just got over Davis's glove for a double, allowing Matheny to score and trim the lead to 5-1. The Keys earned the run back in in the top of the sixth against reliever Marc Brakeman, who walked Davis with one away. Brakeman then fired a wild pitch that evaded the grasp of catcher Jhon Nunez, and Davis zipped to third. Murphy also drew a walk, and Clare laced a single to right to make it a 6-1 game.
The Sox made some noise in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Sermo bashed a laser beam off the scoreboard in left field for a solo homer, his 10th blast on the year and first against a lefty. Tyler Spoon then singled to center, and Nunez crushed a fastball over the left field fence for a round-tripper of his own to trim the margin to 6-4. Lovullo singled to bring the tying run to the plate, but new reliever Luis Gonzalez (W, 3-2) got pinch hitter Victor Acosta to ground into an inning-ending double play. Matheny doubled to lead off the seventh, but Salem was unable to bring him in to score against closer Tanner Chleborad (S, 14), and fell 6-4.
Raudes surrendered five runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out two in five innings. Brakeman gave up a run on one hit and three walks in two innings, fanning three.
In the nightcap, Frederick again raced out to a lead, this time in the top of the first against Salem starting pitcher Kyle Hart (W, 1-0). Davis drew a leadoff walk and stole second before Rifaela singled him home for the first run. Hart recovered to fan Randolph Gassaway and Shane Hoelscher, but Yermin Mercedes belted a huge two-run homer to left field to make it a 3-0 lead for the visitors.
Salem got their first run in the bottom of the first. Leadoff man Chris Madera worked a one-out walk from starting pitcher Keegan Akin (L, 7-8), and moved to second base on a one-out walk drawn by Josh Ockimey. Jordan Betts sliced a double through the middle to score Madera, cutting the lead down to 3-1.
The Red Sox bats finally boomed in the bottom of the third inning. Rivera singled with one out, and sped to third on a double by Ockimey. Betts lofted a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Rivera and allowing Ockimey to reach third. With two outs, Austin Rei pounded a hard grounder up the third base line and into the left field corner, scoring Ockimey and tying the game. Matheny then singled Rei home before pilfering second base, his 22nd stolen base of the year. Mike Meyers came through with an RBI single of his own, and Victor Acosta put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-run homer to left to make it a 7-3 game.
Frederick drew closer in the top of the sixth against Sox reliever Austin Glorius, who gave up a leadoff double to Hoelscher before a passed ball by Rei advanced Hoelscher to third. Glorius gave up a walk to Mercedes, but Murphy bounced sharply into a 6-4-3 double play, allowing Hoelscher to score but quelling the rally. Glorius got Clare to fly out to end the inning, and Adam Lau (S, 5) slammed the door in the seventh to secure the save.
Hart got his first win in a Salem uniform, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in five innings while fanning six. Glorius surrendered an unearned run on one hit and one walk in his only inning of action. Lau gave up a walk in one inning.
The Sox will look to take the series Sunday afternoon, with southpaw Matthew Kent starting for Salem against righty Ofelky Peralta for the Keys. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is at 1:05 p.m., and Ben Gellman's pregame show starts at 12:45 p.m. on ESPN Roanoke, ESPN Blacksburg, and on the Red Sox Radio Network online.