SALEM, VA (Saturday, August 19, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox had two different three-run leads but couldn't make either stand up Saturday night, and eventually fell 7-6 in 12 innings to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Calvin Falwell Field.The Sox (28-28, 68-56) lost their third straight game and fifth of
SALEM, VA (Saturday, August 19, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox had two different three-run leads but couldn't make either stand up Saturday night, and eventually fell 7-6 in 12 innings to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Calvin Falwell Field.
The Sox (28-28, 68-56) lost their third straight game and fifth of their last six, and fell into a tie for the second Northern Division playoff spot with the Frederick Keys. Lynchburg (36-20, 76-49) gave up six runs to Salem in the first five innings but didn't allow any scoring from that point on, getting 7.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Salem opened the scoring in the top of the third against Lynchburg ace Triston McKenzie. With two outs, Bryan Hudson hit a sharp grounder that Sicnarf Loopstok booted at first base, allowing Hudson to reach second on the error. Jeremy Rivera took advantage, slicing a single through the right side for an RBI single to put Salem ahead 1-0.
The Sox extended their advantage in the top of the fourth. Jose Sermo laced a single through the right side with one out, and Tate Matheny took McKenzie deep to center. It was the second homer in as many days for Matheny, and it ran the lead to 3-0.
Lynchburg evened things up in the bottom of the fourth against Red Sox starter Roniel Raudes, who gave up a single to Andrew Calica and a double to Loopstok to put runners at second and third. Connor Marabell grounded out to Nick Lovullo at second base to score Calica, and Ka'ai Tom drew a walk before Jodd Carter doubled to score the runners and even things up at 3-3.
Salem recaptured the lead in the top of the fifth. Jhon Nunez reached on a leadoff single, and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Lovullo. Bryan Hudson singled, allowing Nunez to make it to third base. With runners at the corners, McKenzie tried to pick off Hudson, but wound up throwing the ball away. The error plated Nunez and moved Hudson to second. Rivera singled, and an errant throw by shortstop Willi Castro let Hudson hustle to third base. Conrad Gregor then smacked a two-run double to right, scoring the runners and giving Salem the 6-3 lead.
The Hillcats edged closer in the bottom of the frame. Claudio Bautista led off with a double to right, putting himself in scoring position. With Sam Haggerty at the plate, Raudes fired a wild pitch, and Nunez threw to third to try to nail Bautista. However, his throw bounced into left field, and Bautista raced home to cut the lead to 6-4.
Lynchburg kept their momentum going in the bottom of the sixth against new reliever Pat Goetze, who allowed a leadoff single to Ka'ai Tom. With one out, Tom stole second, and Goetze walked Daniel Salters and hit Bautista to load the bases. Haggerty dropped an RBI single into right, keeping the bases loaded. New reliever Matthew Gorst got Castro to ground to second base for the second out, but Salters scored to tie the game. Gorst hit Calica with a pitch to load the bases back up, but fanned Loopstok to end the inning at 6-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, Calica blasted a fly to deep center for which Matheny leapt but came up empty. Calica made it to third on the triple, and the Sox intentionally walked Sicnarf Loopstok before bringing on southpaw Daniel McGrath to relieve Gorst. The lefty got Marabell to ground out to first for the first out, allowing Loopstok to make it to second but holding Calica at third. McGrath then whiffed Tom before intentionally walking Carter to load the bases with two away. Pinch hitter Martin Cervenka hit a flare to shallow center, but Rivera raced out and snagged it for the third out, sending the game into extra innings.
Salem got runners at first and second with one out in the top of the 12th against Lynchburg reliever Luke Eubank (W, 2-0), but couldn't convert. In the bottom of the 12th and with Sox reliever Harrison Cooney (L, 0-1) on the hill, Carter reached on a bloop single with one away, and stole second base before a wild pitch moved him to third. Martin Cervenka belted a double out to center, bringing home Carter with the winning run.
Raudes gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings, fanning five. Goetze coughed up two runs on two hits and a walk while recording one out. Gorst was superb in his 2.2 innings of action, striking out five and allowing one hit and two walks. McGrath was just as good, allowing only two walks in three no-hit innings and whiffing four. Cooney took the loss, surrendering a run on two hits and recording only one out.
The Sox will try to avoid the sweep on Sunday, with lefty Matthew Kent toeing the slab for Salem against Hillcats righty Brock Hartson. First pitch from Falwell Field is at 5:00 p.m., and Ben Gellman's pregame show starts at 4:45 p.m. on ESPN Roanoke, ESPN Blacksburg, and on the Red Sox Radio Network online.
