SALEM, VA (Friday, August 10) - Jagger Rusconi led the way by matching career-bests in hits and RBI, and the Salem Red Sox turned a team-record six double plays Friday night in an 11-2 rout of the Carolina Mudcats at Haley Toyota Field.The Sox (22-24, 54-60) scored eight unanswered runs
SALEM, VA (Friday, August 10) - Jagger Rusconi led the way by matching career-bests in hits and RBI, and the Salem Red Sox turned a team-record six double plays Friday night in an 11-2 rout of the Carolina Mudcats at Haley Toyota Field.
The Sox (22-24, 54-60) scored eight unanswered runs to open the game and never looked back, stymieing the visitors with excellent fielding. Carolina (21-24, 55-60) couldn't get out of their own their own way, with leadoff man Devin Hairston grounding into three of their six twin killings. The six double plays surpassed the previous Salem record of five, last achieved July 10, 2015 against the Frederick Keys.
Salem drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning against Carolina starting pitcher Jorge Ortega (L, 0-2), who plunked Tyler Hill to open the frame. Hill swiped second, and scooted to third when catcher Nathan Rodriguez's throw skittered into center field. Brett Netzer hit a bouncer to the right side of the infield, scoring Hill and putting Salem ahead 1-0.
The Sox put up a crooked number in the bottom of the second. Josh Tobias cracked a leadoff single, and Jake Romanski singled him to second. Ryan Scott slashed a triple to deep right-center field, scoring both runners, and Rusconi knocked Scott in with a single to run the lead to 4-0.
Salem blew it wide open in the bottom of the third inning. C.J. Chatham started the frame with a single, and advanced to third on a double by Jerry Downs. Tobias bounced out, and Romanski hit a hopper to the left side that Trever Morrison fielded and whipped home. However, Chatham's slide jarred the ball loose from Rodriguez's mitt, and the error allowed Chatham to score and leave runners at first and second. Scott flew out to left, but Rusconi cracked a double into the gap in right to chase Ortega from the game. Chris Madera welcomed new reliever Phil Bickford with a two-run single to make it 8-0.
The Mudcats scratched a run across in the top of the fifth, with Hairston cracking a one-out double off Salem starter Kevin McAvoy (W, 1-2) before Dallas Carroll knocked Hairstonhome with a single. However, the Sox weren't done scoring yet. Romanski and Scott worked back-to-back walks to open the bottom of the fifth, and Rusconi smacked another RBI double, scoring Romanski. Madera rapped an RBI single to score Scott and advance Rusconi to third. A sacrifice fly by Hill scored Rusconi, giving Salem a hefty 11-1 advantage. The Mudcats pushed across one more run against Algenis Martinez (S, 5) in the eighth inning, but that was as close as they'd get in the ballgame.
McAvoy earned the win, allowing one run on six hits and four walks in six innings and whiffing four batters. Martinez got the save, surrendering a run on five hits and a walk in three frames.
The Sox will look to keep their bats booming Saturday night, with righty Denyi Reyes toeing the slab for Salem against Carolina right-hander Devin Williams. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 5:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.
