BUIES CREEK, NC (Wednesday, July 19) - The Salem Red Sox were able to avert the ignominy of a no-hitter but couldn't avoid a blanking Wednesday night, dropping a walk-off 1-0 loss in 10 innings to the Buies Creek Astros at Jim Perry Stadium. Salem (14-12, 46-48) lost their second straight
BUIES CREEK, NC (Wednesday, July 19) - The Salem Red Sox were able to avert the ignominy of a no-hitter but couldn't avoid a blanking Wednesday night, dropping a walk-off 1-0 loss in 10 innings to the Buies Creek Astros at Jim Perry Stadium.
Salem (14-12, 46-48) lost their second straight game, and saw their offense fall silent, as they only broke up the no-hitter in the ninth inning. The Astros (17-10, 54-42) were able to notch the win despite going a paltry 0-11 with runners in scoring position in the ballgame. The Sox will need to win the last two games of the three-game set to take victory in the season series.
It was a pitchers' duel through the first five innings, with Salem starting pitcher Tanner Houck (ND) and his Buies Creek counterpart Brandon Bailey (ND) both stifling their opponents. Gabriel Valdez entered in the sixth for the Astros and picked up where Bailey left off, setting down the Red Sox in order in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Yankory Pimentel came in for Salem following the sixth frame and retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh and the eighth.
Chris Madera led off with a single in the top of the ninth for Salem, dispelling the no-no, and Tyler Hill bunted him to second. Brett Netzer grounded out to the right side, moving Madera to third base with two away, but C.J. Chatham grounded out to end the frame. In the bottom of the ninth, new reliever Jake Cosart (L, 3-1) gave up a lead single to Ronnie Dawson, who stole second and third. Cosart worked out of the jam without incident, and the game went to extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, Chatham was at second base to begin the frame. Bobby Dalbec earned a walk from reliever Carlos Sanabria (W, 1-0), but Roldani Baldwin bounced into a double play, and Jerry Downs grounded out to Sanabria to end the threat. Chuckie Robinson began the bottom of the tenth at second, and advanced to third on a daring two-strike sacrifice bunt by Jonathan Arauz. The Sox elected to intentionally walk Jacob Meyers to put runners at the corners, but Corey Julks was able to loft a fly ball to deep center for a walk-off sacrifice fly, scoring Robinson and ending the game.
Houck was dazzling through six frames, allowing five hits and one walk while fanning seven; he threw two wild pitches and hit two batters. Pimentel was spotless in two innings of relief for the Sox. Cosart gave up an unearned run on one hit and two walks in 1.2 innings, striking out one.
The Sox will aim to get back on the winning track Thursday night, with lefty Darwinzon Hernandez scheduled to pitch for Salem against Astros righty Cristian Javier. First pitch at Jim Perry Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 5:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.
