FREDERICK, MD (Tuesday, August 14) - The Salem Red Sox rolled up five runs in a decisive fifth inning Tuesday night, taking advantage of numerous free opportunities to down the Frederick Keys 7-2 at Harry Grove Stadium.The Sox (24-26, 56-62) rode a terrific outing from starting pitcher Tanner Houck to
FREDERICK, MD (Tuesday, August 14) - The Salem Red Sox rolled up five runs in a decisive fifth inning Tuesday night, taking advantage of numerous free opportunities to down the Frederick Keys 7-2 at Harry Grove Stadium.
The Sox (24-26, 56-62) rode a terrific outing from starting pitcher Tanner Houck to victory Tuesday night, with the righty improving to 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in his last six starts. Frederick (21-29, 56-63) couldn't overcome their own wildness, with their starting pitcher issuing seven walks, tossing three wild pitches, and hitting two batters.
Salem opened the scoring in the top of the second against Frederick starting pitcher Matthias Dietz (L, 0-6), who issued a leadoff walk to Josh Tobias before Michael Osinski singled to put runners at first and second. Dietz uncorked a wild pitch, advancing the runners to second and third with nobody out. A chopper to short by Victor Acosta brought in Tobias and moved Osinski up to third, and he raced home on another wild pitch to give Salem a 2-0 lead.
Frederick halved the Red Sox advantage in the bottom of the second against Houck (W, 6-11). With one out, Jomar Reyes jumped on a first-pitch fastball and sent a wall-scraper out to right for a solo homer, trimming Salem's lead to 2-1.
The Sox broke it wide open in the top of the fifth inning. Tyler Hill earned a leadoff walk and stole second, and Brett Netzer drew a walk of his own, putting runners at first and second and chasing Dietz from the game. Reliever Francisco Jimenez entered and ran into trouble right away, with C.J. Chatham lining an RBI single off him to score Hill. Jerry Downs thumped a double down the right field line, bringing in Netzer and sending Chatham to third. After Downs pilfered second, Tobias bonked a single into shallow center, bringing home Chatham and sending Downs hustling to third. Osinski fanned, and Acosta bounced out softly back to the mound, but Jagger Rusconi scorched a double to center, plating Downs and Tobias and giving Salem a 7-1 lead.
The Keys scratched a run back off reliever Algenis Martinez in the ninth, as he walked Chris Clare to start the inning. Clare moved up to second on defensive indifference, and came in to score on a two-out single by Randolph Gassaway. However, Martinez got Preston Palmeiro to line out to right, ending the game.
Houck was dominant in his career-long seven innings on the mound, allowing just one run on four hits and hitting one batter while whiffing seven and walking none; he needed only 72 pitches to get through seven frames. Martinez surrendered a run on one hit and one walk in his two innings of action, fanning three.
The Sox will aim for a third consecutive win Wednesday night, with righty Kevin McAvoy starting for Salem against Frederick southpaw Zac Lowther. First pitch from Harry Grove 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.
