Salem Hushes Hillcats Bats in 3-0 Shutout Saturday

LYNCHBURG, VA (Saturday, July 8, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox rode a near-flawless start by All-Star lefty Dedgar Jimenez to victory Saturday night, blanking the Lynchburg Hillcats 3-0 at Calvin Falwell Field in Lynchburg.
The Sox (11-6, 51-35) took the game despite posting singles for all nine of their hits, limiting their strikeouts and clustering their hits in the sixth and seventh innings to register their runs. Lynchburg (11-6, 51-35) never got a runner past second base in the ballgame, wasting a strong start by their own pitcher. Jimenez (W, 9-3) matched a career-high by throwing eight innings for the third time as a professional, and earned his first win since June 11 against the Winston-Salem Dash.

After a five-inning deadlock, Salem opened the scoring in the top of the sixth against Lynchburg starter Aaron Civale (L, 3-3). Chris Madera led off the inning with a single to right, and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jeremy Rivera. Josh Ockimey laced a single to center, advancing Madera to third base. Tyler Spoon cracked a single to right, plating Madera and sending Ockimey to second. Tate Matheny then rapped a single of his own to center, and Ockimey raced in to score and give Salem the 2-0 lead.
The Sox extended their advantage in the top of the seventh. Jordan Betts singled with one away before scooting to second on a wild pitch by Civale. Victor Acosta bounced a single through the middle, and Betts sped home to make it a 3-0 game. Lynchburg got a leadoff single from Jodd Carter in the bottom of the ninth, but Stephen Nogosek (S, 3) got Ka'ai Tom to line out to Ockimey at first, and the first baseman lunged backward, tagging Carter for the impressive double play. Nogosek then induced a pop out by Sicnarf Loopstok to Rivera at shortstop to end the game.
Jimenez allowed just four hits in his career-long outing, and fanned six Hillcats without issuing a walk. Nogosek allowed a single hit in an otherwise spotless inning to earn the save.
The Sox will try to make it two in a row on Sunday, with All-Star southpaw Matthew Kent making the start for Salem against Lynchburg righty Dominic DeMasi. First pitch from Calvin Falwell Field is at 5:00 p.m., and Ben Gellman has the call on the Red Sox Radio Network starting at 4:45 p.m.