Sox Drop Dash 5-1 Behind Gonzalez's Gem
SALEM, VA (Saturday, September 2, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox got another starring performance out of starting pitcher Daniel Gonzalez on Saturday, as the righty pitched brilliantly to lead the home team to a 5-1 defeat of the Winston-Salem Dash at Haley Toyota Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.The Sox
SALEM, VA (Saturday, September 2, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox got another starring performance out of starting pitcher
The Sox (33-34, 72-63) snapped out of a four-game skid and kept their hopes for the Mills Cup playoffs mathematically alive with the win; Salem would need to sweep the Dash and have the Frederick Keys lose all three of their remaining games for the Sox to make the playoffs. Winston-Salem (29-38, 53-84) lost their fifth straight game, and didn't manage to score until they were already trailing by five. Gonzalez (W, 5-0) ran his shutout streak with Salem to 20.2 innings dating back to June 2, a season-best for any Sox pitcher.
After stranding two runners in the first and three more in the second, Salem got the scoring going in the bottom of the third against Dash starting pitcher
The Sox extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Salem broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh against Dash reliever
Winston-Salem got on the board in the top of the eighth against Sox reliever
Gonzalez stayed undefeated with his gem, fanning nine batters and allowing only three hits in his seven shutout innings. McGrath surrendered a run on two hits and a walk in two innings, striking out three.
The Sox and Dash will tangle in a doubleheader on Sunday. Righty