Sox Stifled 1-0 by Astros in Game 1

New Extra-Innings Rules Provide Only Run

Darwinzon Hernandez whiffed the first six batters he faced and finished with nine strikeouts.

By Ben Gellman

April 8, 2018

SALEM, VA (Sunday, April 8) - The Salem Red Sox couldn't find any offense Sunday afternoon, falling 1-0 to the Buies Creek Astros in eight innings in the first game of their doubleheader at Haley Toyota Field.The Sox (2-1) squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the fifth and never truly threatened

SALEM, VA (Sunday, April 8) - The Salem Red Sox couldn't find any offense Sunday afternoon, falling 1-0 to the Buies Creek Astros in eight innings in the first game of their doubleheader at Haley Toyota Field.
The Sox (2-1) squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the fifth and never truly threatened again. Buies Creek (1-2) took their first win of the season, using the new extra-innings rule - a runner at second to start the inning - to their advantage.

Neither team was able to crack the scoreboard in regulation, as starters Darwinzon Hernandez (ND) and Carson LaRue (ND) both kept things scoreless. In the eighth inning, the new extra innings rules came into effect, and the Astros started the top of the eighth with speedy Kristian Trompiz at second base. Reliever Matthew Gorst (L, 0-1) dealt a wild pitch, and Trompiz zipped to third. Osvaldo Duarte came through with a sacrifice fly to plate Trompiz and make the game 1-0 in favor of the Astros. Salem failed to score in the bottom of the inning against reliever Justin Farrell (W, 1-0), and took the loss.
Hernandez whiffed six batters against two hits and three walks in five scoreless frames of work. Gorst was tagged with the loss, allowing one run (unearned) on one hit and one walk in three innings; he struck out two.