Salem Puzzles Potomac Bats in 6-0 Win Wednesday

SALEM, VA (Wednesday, July 12, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox got their series with the Potomac Nationals off to a rousing start Monday night, blanking the visitors by a 6-0 score at Haley Toyota Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
The Sox (12-8, 52-37) benefited from a brilliant performance from starting pitcher Shaun Anderson (W, 3-2), who tossed a career-long seven innings in the win. Potomac (6-11, 39-48) mustered only four hits in the game, and only once had multiple baserunners in an inning.

Salem opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning against Potomac starter Hector Silvestre (L, 7-4). Tyler Spoon, Tate Matheny and Austin Rei rapped three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Jose Sermo lofted a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring Spoon and moving the remaining runners to second and third. Jordan Betts drew a walk to load the bases back up, but Nick Lovullo lined out to third, and Matheny was doubled off to end the inning with Salem ahead 1-0.
Salem expanded the lead in the bottom of the fourth.  Matheny earned a leadoff walk, and moved up to third on a double by Sermo. Betts brought Matheny in on a sacrifice fly to left, and Lovullo hit a hard ground ball up the middle that shortstop Edwin Lora fielded cleanly. However, Lovullo beat the throw to first, and Sermo sped around to score, just making it in when catcher Taylor Gushue couldn't receive a bad throw from first baseman Ian Sagdal. The lead grew to 3-0 with the run.
The good times kept rolling for the Sox in the fifth inning. New reliever Tyler Skulina gave up back-to-back singles to Jeremy Rivera and Josh Ockimey, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Skulina then fired a wild pitch, scoring Rivera and allowing Ockimey to scoot to second. Another wild pitch advanced Ockimey to third base, and Spoon walked to put runners at first and third again. Tate Matheny doubled down the left field line, plating Ockimey and sending Spoon to third base. Rei fanned, and Sermo drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Jordan Betts flew into a double play, as Spoon was tagged out trying to make it home on the play. Still, the Sox led 5-0. Salem added one more in the bottom of the sixth; Lovullo and Chris Madera each walked, and Spoon singled home Lovullo with two outs to run the edge to 6-0. From there, the Red Sox pitching staff was unruffled, retiring the last nine batters in order.
Anderson took the win, slicing through the Potomac lineup for six strikeouts against four hits and one walk in his career-long seven-inning start. Marc Brakeman was perfect over two innings, fanning four for the Sox.
Salem will try for a second straight win Thursday night, with righty Roniel Raudes making the start for Salem against Potomac right-hander Luis Reyes.. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark is at 7:05 p.m., and Ben Gellman has the call on the Red Sox Radio Network starting at 6:45 p.m.