SALEM, VA (Wednesday, May 9) - The Salem Red Sox rallied late to tie the game but fell behind for good in extra innings, falling 10-8 in 10 innings to the Winston-Salem Dash to suffer a three-game series sweep at Haley Toyota Field.Salem (17-16) lost their fourth consecutive game, their
SALEM, VA (Wednesday, May 9) - The Salem Red Sox rallied late to tie the game but fell behind for good in extra innings, falling 10-8 in 10 innings to the Winston-Salem Dash to suffer a three-game series sweep at Haley Toyota Field.
Salem (17-16) lost their fourth consecutive game, their worst losing streak of the season. The Dash (20-13) blew a four-run lead but were able to score double digits against the Sox for the second consecutive game. The Sox hadn't been swept at Haley Toyota Field since the Potomac Nationals did it July 25-27 in 2015.
The Dash opened the scoring in the top of the second for the third straight night, striking against Sox starter Jake Thompson (ND). The righty gave up a leadoff single to Micker Adolfo before tossing a wild pitch that let Adolfo advance to second base. Thompson recovered to retire the next two batters, but Ti'Quan Forbes earned a walk, and Nate Nolan lined a single to left to score Adolfo before Mitch Roman did the same to plate Forbes, giving the Dash a 2-0 lead.
Winston-Salem doubled their edge in the top of the fifth inning, as Nolan led off with a double before Roman worked a walk. Joel Booker moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt, and with two outs, Blake Rutherford cracked a single to right to plate both runners and make it a 4-0 lead for the Dash.
Salem broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning against Dash starting pitcher Tanner Banks (ND). Nick Sciortino led off the frame with a double to right, and came in to score on a single by Chris Madera. Santiago Espinal then rocketed a triple to right, scoring Madera before he came in on a sacrifice fly by Brett Netzer to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Dash immediately restored their lead in the top of the sixth inning, as Adolfo earned a leadoff walk and Gavin Sheets drew a walk. Yeyson Yrizarri bunted the runners to second and third, and Salem turned to reliever Algenis Martinez. The righty gave up a run-scoring single to Forbes before fanning Nolan, but Roman laced a two-run single into the outfield to make it 7-3 in favor of the Dash.
Salem scratched a run back in the bottom of the seventh inning. Madera drew a one-out walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Espinal popped out, but Netzer beat out an infield single, and the throw from Yrizarri was wild. Madera raced home to score on the play, trimming the margin to 7-4.
The Sox evened the score in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Zach Thompson, as leadoff man Jerry Downs reached on an error by Yrizarri. Bobby Dalbec hammered a double off the wall in center to score Downs before Tyler Hill cracked an RBI single of his own. Ryan Scott struck out, but pinch-hitter Roldani Baldwin singled to right, advancing Hill to third base. After a pop out by Madera, Espinal came through with an RBI single to bring in Hill and tie the game at 7-7. Neither team could score again in regulation, so the game went to extra frames.
In the top of the 10th, reliever Matthew Gorst (L, 0-2) gave up a leadoff single to Alex Call with Joel Booker at second base. Rutherford then emphatically put the Dash in front, smashing a three-run homer to right field for a 10-7 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Carlos Tovar singled Tyler Hill home with one out off reliever Matt Foster (W, 1-1), but Foster recovered to get Madera to get into a game-ending double play.
Jake Thompson surrendered six runs on six hits and three walks in 5.1 innings, striking out six. Martinez allowed a run on three hits and recorded one strikeout in 2.2 innings. Gorst gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits in two innings, striking out one.
The Sox will try to right the ship Thursday night, as they kick off a four-game series against the Lynchburg Hillcats. Righty Bryan Mata will toe the slab for Salem against Hillcats lefty Sam Hentges. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is at 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.
