SALEM, VA (Tuesday, May 8) - The Salem Red Sox were in the game up until the last frame Tuesday night, but surrendered six runs in the top of the ninth to fall 10-2 at the hands of the Winston-Salem Dash at Haley Toyota Field.Salem (17-15) dropped their third game
SALEM, VA (Tuesday, May 8) - The Salem Red Sox were in the game up until the last frame Tuesday night, but surrendered six runs in the top of the ninth to fall 10-2 at the hands of the Winston-Salem Dash at Haley Toyota Field.
Salem (17-15) dropped their third game in a row, and mustered only five hits in the loss. The Dash (19-13) collected six hits in the ninth inning alone and six doubles total. Salem allowed new season-highs in runs, earned runs and hits (19), and went 0-2 with runners in scoring position.
The Dash got the scoring going in the top of the second against Sox starter Roniel Raudes (L, 2-3). Yeyson Yrizarri slapped a one-out double to left, and moved to third on a wild pitch by Raudes. The righty recovered to strike out Zach Remillard for the second out, but Ti'Quan Forbes singled Yrizarri home, and stole second to put himself in scoring position. Joel Booker drew a walk, and Alex Call sliced a single into center. Forbes came in easily, and Booker was at third with Call stuck between first and second. The Sox got Call in a rundown, but Booker broke for home. Salem's throw to the plate was too late, and Booker slid in safely to make it a 3-0 lead.
Salem got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning against Winston-Salem starter Jimmy Lambert (W, 3-2), as Ryan Scott leapt on a fastball and belted it out to right field. It was Scott's first homer of the season, and it trimmed the lead to 3-1.
The Dash earned the run back in the top of the seventh against reliever Hildemaro Requena, who gave up a two-out walk to Micker Adolfo. Gavin Sheets laced a double to left, scoring Adolfo and running the lead to 4-1.
Salem scratched across another run in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Blake Hickman. Tyler Hill singled to lead off the inning, and stole second before Ryan Scott worked a walk. Hill swiped third base, and after a lineup by Carlos Tovar, Scott tried to advance on a ball in the dirt. However, Yermin Mercedes recovered the ball and got Scott in a rundown. Scott was tagged out, but Hill zipped home to cut the lead down to 4-2.
The dam burst in the top of the ninth. Requena walked Adolfo with one out, advanced on a wild pitch, and Sheets sliced another double up the line to plate him. After another wild pitch, Mercedes ripped a double past Bobby Dalbec at third to score sheets before Yrizarri singled to put runners at the corners. Requena recovered to fan Remillard, but Forbes cracked a single to score Mercedes, and Booker ripped his own double to score Yrizarria and move Forbes up to third. The Sox brought in reliever Durin O'Linger, but Alex Call put an exclamation point on the frame with a two-run double off the wall in left. When the dust had cleared, the Dash had scored six runs to make it a 10-2 game.
Raudes allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings, whiffing five batters. Requena was shelled for seven runs on nine hits and two walks in 2.2 frames, recording three strikeouts. O'Linger allowed one hit and recorded one out.
The Sox will try to avoid a sweep Wednesday night, with righty Jake Thompson starting for Salem against Dash southpaw Tanner Banks. 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.
