WINSTON-SALEM, NC (Saturday, April 21) - The Salem Red Sox suffered an excruciating walk-off loss Saturday night, allowing three runs without getting an out in the bottom of the ninth to fall 4-3 to the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.The Sox (9-8) got a strong outing from their
WINSTON-SALEM, NC (Saturday, April 21) - The Salem Red Sox suffered an excruciating walk-off loss Saturday night, allowing three runs without getting an out in the bottom of the ninth to fall 4-3 to the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.
The Sox (9-8) got a strong outing from their starter and carried a two-run lead into the ninth before crumbling. Winston-Salem (10-7) had four of their nine hits in the ninth inning and handed Salem their first walk-off loss of the season, as well as their first since August 30, 2017 at Frederick.
The Sox struck first in the top of the first inning against Dash starter Dane Dunning (ND), who got to a full count on leadoff man Santiago Espinal. Dunning fired a fastball that Espinal belted over the left-field wall for a solo homer, his first of the season. It was the first time a Red Sox player had led off a game with a homer since Joseph Monge did it at BB&T Ballpark against Winston-Salem on August 20, 2016, and it put Salem ahead 1-0.
The Dash drew level in the bottom of the fourth against Salem starter Roniel Raudes (ND), who gave up a one-out walk to Gavin Sheets before throwing a wild pitch that put Sheets at second. With two away, Zach Remillard pounded a double to center to score Sheets and tie the game at 1-1.
Salem answered back in the top of the fifth, as Tyler Hill laced a leadoff single up the middle before stealing second. Jhon Nunez cracked a double into the gap between left and center to plate Hill and make it a 2-1 lead for the Sox.
The Sox extended their lead in the top of the eighth, with Espinal drawing a one-out walk from reliever Mike Morrison (W, 3-0) before advancing to second on a groundout by Brett Netzer. With Bobby Dalbec at the dish, Morrison tossed a slider in the dirt that catcher Yermin Mercedes corralled quickly before noticing that Espinal was in no-man's-land between second and third. Mercedes threw to second, prompting Espinal to break for third. Ti'Quan Forbes fired to third, but Remillard muffed the catch and the ball skittered away. Espinal got to his feet and sped home to run the lead to 3-1.
The Dash sparked their comeback in the bottom of the ninth against Sox reliever Joan Martinez (BS, 1; L, 1-1). Mercedes singled to right, and Hill missed the ball, letting it roll all the way to the wall; Mercedes made it to third on the miscue. Zach Remillard then singled Mercedes home before Ti'Quan Forbes smacked a triple to center to score Remillard and tie the game. Mitch Roman worked a walk, and the Sox elected to walk Joel Booker and load the bases for Alex Call. The Dash made the aggressive call to go for a suicide squeeze; Call laid down a bunt that Martinez couldn't flip home in time to beat Forbes, who slid in with the winning run.
Raudes tossed six strong innings, allowing just one run as he scattered five hits and two walks while striking out four. Jordan Weems fired two shutout innings of relief with four strikeouts and only one walk allowed. Martinez allowed three runs on four hits and two walks without recording an out, taking the loss.
The Sox will aim for a series split Sunday afternoon, with righty Jake Thompson getting the start for Salem against Dash lefty Bernardo Flores. First pitch from BB&T Ballpark is at 2:00 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 1:45 p.m. on the Red Sox radio network.
