Ducks Use Big Tenth to Take Down Sox
SALEM, Va. – After a back-and-forth first three innings, the Wood Ducks decided they had better plans than heading into extra innings. The Down East Wood Ducks (39-24) took the series with the Salem Red Sox (30-35) with a 6-2 victory in ten innings on a perfect Saturday night for
SALEM, Va. – After a back-and-forth first three innings, the Wood Ducks decided they had better plans than heading into extra innings.
The Down East Wood Ducks (39-24) took the series with the Salem Red Sox (30-35) with a 6-2 victory in ten innings on a perfect Saturday night for baseball from Salem.
The night started as well as it could have for the Sox as the second batter of the game, Cutter Coffey, launched his third home run of the season scoring Juan Chacon as well to take an early 2-0 lead.
But, just two innings later, Tommy Specht responded for the Wood Ducks launching his first professional home run off the scoreboard to celebrate his 19th birthday to tie the game at twos.
After that, the scoring went silent. From the fourth to the ninth, both Salem and Down East only collected two hits apiece. It sent the game to dramatic extra innings, where heroics shined on Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Night.
The Wood Ducks were able to strike for plenty in the top of the tenth when the extra innings runner, Angel Aponte, advanced to third on a passed ball before a Jesus Moreno fielder’s choice scored the go-ahead run.
Down East added three more on an Andres Mesa RBI double, Anthony Gutierrez RBI single, and an RBI fielder’s choice from Danyer Cueva to take the 6-2 lead into the home half of the tenth.
The bottom of the tenth did no favors for the home team as Juan Chacon grounded into a double play on the first pitch of the inning. On a ground ball to third, the extra inning runner, Juan Montero, had a delayed take off to third on the ground ball and was easily thrown out.
Cutter Coffey then grounded out to second to make the game final.
Jacob Maton (W, 3-0) earned his second win of the series with the Red Sox as he pitched the final out of the ninth, and the five pitches and three outs of the tenth.
Despite an amazing start from Red Sox starter Luis Perales, it was reliever Felix Cepeda (L, 3-3) who got the losing decision for pitching the final two frames to the Ducks.
The Red Sox are now 5-5 in the scheduled 13-game homestand that has been rain-shortened to 11 games. The final game of the homestand takes place on Sunday afternoon as the Sox take on the Wood Ducks in the series finale.
First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. from Salem Memorial Ballpark.
Location: Salem Memorial Ballpark
First Pitch: 6:05 p.m.
Time of Game: 2:43