WILMINGTON, DE (Monday, July 17) - The Salem Red Sox took a narrow lead early on but saw their bats go quiet down the stretch Monday night, allowing four unanswered runs in the later innings to fall 5-2 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks 7-4 at Frawley Stadium.Salem (14-11, 46-47) again
WILMINGTON, DE (Monday, July 17) - The Salem Red Sox took a narrow lead early on but saw their bats go quiet down the stretch Monday night, allowing four unanswered runs in the later innings to fall 5-2 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks 7-4 at Frawley Stadium.
Salem (14-11, 46-47) again failed to move above .500 on the season, as they haven't been above even since May 24. Wilmington (13-10, 44-49) scored twice in the sixth and twice more in the eighth to stymie the Red Sox and earn a split of the four-game series. Jerry Downs was hit by a pitch in the third inning for his league-leading 18th time, setting a new Red Sox-era record for most times being hit in a season.
Wilmington got the scoring going early in the bottom of the first. Blake Perkins drew a four-pitch walk from Salem starting pitcher Jake Thompson (4-8) to lead off the frame. Perkins stole second, and catcher Jordan Procyshen threw the ball into center field, allowing Perkins to take third. A ground-out to the right side by Nick Heath plated Perkins, putting the Blue Rocks ahead 1-0.
The Sox got level in the top of the second inning against Wilmington starter Nolan Watson (W, 3-1). Bobby Dalbec led off the frame with a double, moved up to third on a groundout by Roldani Baldwin, and came in to score on a one-out sacrifice fly by Chris Madera. Salem moved in front in the top of the third, as Tyler Hill singled with one away before going to third on a single by Brett Netzer. C.J. Chatham lofted one out to center for a sacrifice fly, plating Hill and giving the Sox a 2-1 lead.
The Blue Rocks moved back in front in the bottom of the sixth. Vance Vizcaino led off with a double into right-center field, and moved to third on a balk by Thompson. Angelo Castellano reached when Thompson hit him with a pitch, and a wild pitch plated Vizcaino while allowing Castellano to reach second. Heath singled him home with two away, giving the Blue Rocks a 3-2 edge.
After reliever Anthony Bender (H, 1) held the Sox in check in the top of the eighth, Wilmington added some cushion in the bottom of the eighth against Red Sox reliever Hunter Smith. With Heath at second and one out, D.J. Burt cracked an RBI single before stealing second to put himself in scoring position. Gabriel Cancel sliced a grounder just inside the third-base line for an RBI double to run the lead to 5-2. Tyler Zuber (S, 3) set down the Sox in the ninth with only a walk allowed, closing out the game.
Thompson surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in six innings of work, striking out two. Smith allowed two runs on four hits in two innings while fanning two.
The Sox have an off day Tuesday before opening a three-game series at the Buies Creek Astros Wednesday night, with righty Tanner Houck scheduled to pitch the opener for Salem. First pitch at Jim Perry Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.
