Keys edge out Sox in home opener

Mata strikes out 8 in 3-2 loss to Frederick

Bryan Mata struck out 8 in 5 1/3 innings Thursday night. (Gary Streiffer)

April 11, 2019

SALEM, Virginia (April 11, 2019) - Bryan Mata rang up 8 Keys in his home Opening Day performance but a 7th inning RBI double by Frederick cost Salem, falling 3-2 Thursday evening at Haley Toyota Field.How it Happened* The Keys capitalized on a passed ball in the second inning to

SALEM, Virginia (April 11, 2019) - Bryan Mata rang up 8 Keys in his home Opening Day performance but a 7th inning RBI double by Frederick cost Salem, falling 3-2 Thursday evening at Haley Toyota Field.
How it Happened
* The Keys capitalized on a passed ball in the second inning to jump out to a 1-0 lead.
* Salem responded in the bottom of the frame, Tanner Nishioka and Marino Campana laced back-to-back singles and Michael Osinski drew a walk to load the bases. Nick Sciortino drove in Nishioka with a sacrifice fly to even the game 1-1.
* Pedro Castellanos knocked a single with two outs in the third and came home on a Jagger Rusconi double to take a 2-1 lead.
* Frederick tied the game 2-2 in the fifth, Yeltsin Gudino reached on an error to extend the frame and scored on a Mason McCoy single.
* Bryan Mata got the home opener nod and twirled 5 1/3 innings, striking out 8 on the way.
* Key's Kirvin Moesquit scratched the final run in the 7th on a sacrifice fly to give Frederick the final 3-2 lead.

Standout Sox
* Jagger Rusconi: 2-for-5, RBI, 2B
* Pedro Castellanos: 2-for-4, R
* Tanner Nishioka: 2-for-2, R
* Marino Campana: 3-for-4, 2B
* Bryan Mata: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Noteworthy
* Jaren Duran's double in the first extended his hit streak to 7 games.
* Ryan Fitzgerald is on a 4-game hit streak as well, 5 of his last 9 hits have been for extra bases.

What's Next
Salem Red Sox vs Frederick Keys, Thursday, April 11, 2019. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 EST
LHP Enmanuel De Jesus vs. LHP DL Hall
Listen: SalemSox.com, TuneIn Radio, ESPN Blacksburg WKEX 1430 AM/94.1 FM, ESPN Roanoke WGMN 1240 AM/93.3 FM
Watch: MiLB TV
Tickets: https://bit.ly/2v0hy4X
The Salem Red Sox are the Advanced-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and call Haley Toyota Field in Salem, Virginia home. The team was founded in 1968 and purchased by Fenway Sportas Management in December of 2007. For more information on the Salem Red Sox, please visit SalemRedSox.com or contact Melanie Newman at [email protected]

Bryan Mata