ZEBULON, NC (Sunday, August 5) - The Salem Red Sox got a fantastic debut from righty Denyi Reyes, and Josh Tobias clubbed a homer from each side of the plate, but they still had to withstand a furious ninth-inning rally to top the Carolina Mudcats 7-5 Sunday afternoon at Five
ZEBULON, NC (Sunday, August 5) - The Salem Red Sox got a fantastic debut from righty Denyi Reyes, and Josh Tobias clubbed a homer from each side of the plate, but they still had to withstand a furious ninth-inning rally to top the Carolina Mudcats 7-5 Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.
The Sox (20-22, 52-58) earned a series victory over the Mudcats, with a ninth-inning grand slam snapping a season-best 15.2-inning shutout streak by Sox pitchers. Carolina (20-20, 54-56) didn't score until they had two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and were unable to overcome the margin that Salem had built. Tobias became the second player in the Red Sox era (2009-present) to hit HR from both sides of plate in same game, joining Jose Sermo, who did it on July 26, 2016 at Potomac in a three-homer effort.
Salem got the ball rolling early against Carolina righty starting pitcher Devin Williams (L, 0-3), who allowed a one-out single to Jake Romanski before plunking Ryan Scott. Chris Madera hammered an RBI double off the wall in left, and Romanski came around to score. Tyler Hill cracked a single to right to score both Madera and Scott, and then stole second to put himself in scoring position. Brett Netzer singled Hill to third, and C.J. Chatham plated Hill on a sacrifice fly to right that made it a 4-0 game in favor of the Sox.
The Sox added a run in the top of the third inning. Tobias pounced on a 3-1 fastball from Williams and sent it soaring over the right-field wall for a solo homer. It was the first homer with Salem in 2018 for Tobias and his second of the year, and it extended the lead to 5-0.
Salem poured the offense on in the top of the sixth against lefty reliever Nathan Kirby. On a 2-0 count, Tobias pounded a towering leadoff blast over the wall in left for his second dinger of the game. With two outs, Scott and Madera each earned walks and Hill singled, loading the bases up. Netzer scraped a walk of his own to score Scott and run the lead to 7-0.
The Mudcats made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Sox reliever Joan Martinez walked leadoff man Ryan Aguilar before fanning Rob Henry, but another walk to pinch-hitter Robie Rojas put runners at first and second. Martinez bounced back to whiff Trever Morrison for the second out, but Devin Hairston singled Aguilar home, and Mario Feliciano earned a walk to load the bases. Demi Orimoloye belted a fastball high over the left field wall for a grand slam (the sixth Salem pitchers have allowed in 2018) to trim the lead to 7-5. Algenis Martinez (S, 4) entered to slam the door, getting Cooper Hummel to ground out to first to end the game.
Reyes (W, 1-0) was dazzling in his debut, allowing just four hits and a walk in 5.2 scoreless frames. Kevin McAvoy gave up juts two walks in 2.1 shutout innings of relief, fanning three. Joan Martinez gave up five runs on two hits and three walks, striking out two for his only outs recorded. Algenis Martinez got the only batter he faced to ground out, notching the save.
The Sox will have a day off Monday before starting a seven-game homestand with a three-game set against the division-leading Wilmington Blue Rocks. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field on Tuesday night is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.
