Dash power past Red Sox to salvage series

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 17, 2015) - The Dash blasted four home runs to back Matt Heidenreich's strong seven innings in a 12-1 rout of the Salem Red Sox Sunday at BB&T Ballpark.

Adam Engel, who finished a double shy of the cycle on a 4-for-5 day, started the hit parade with a triple to lead off the bottom of the first. The very next batter, Jake Peter, brought him in with a sacrifice fly and the Dash (16-22) held the early advantage. After Salem (20-18) starter Taylor Grover (1-1) walked Trey Michalczewski, Chris Jacobs cranked a two-run home run to left to put Winston up 3-0.

Aneury Tavarez responded with a solo shot off Heidenreich (6-0) in the second, but that was the only time the Red Sox would touch up the Dash right-hander. Heidenreich became the first Carolina League hurler to six wins and the fourth in all of Minor League Baseball by holding Salem to just a run on four hits in 7.0 innings. He fanned six against two walks.

In the bottom of the second, Nolan Earley and Ethan Wilson reached base with one out on a walk and hit by pitch, respectively. Engel then launched a three-run shot for the Dash to grab a 6-1 lead.

Winston-Salem really broke things open in the fourth. After Earley doubled with one out, Wilson hit his first professional home run to make things 8-1. Grover faced two more batters, yielding a single and walk before departing for Kuehl McEachern.

Michalczewski, who had three hits, greeted McEachern by serving up an opposite-field, three-run bomb onto the berm in left to put the Dash up 11-1. Two of those runs were charged to Grover, who was ticketed with 10 runs on six hits with four walks in 3.1 frames.

Three consecutive Winston singles to start the eighth, capped with an RBI knock off the bat of Jacobs, made it 12-1 Dash. 

After an off-day Monday, the Dash will begin a three-game series Tuesday with the Wilmington Blue Rocks with Andre Wheeler (1-2, 2.89 ERA) on the bump. Pregame coverage is available at 6:20 p.m. with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn app.

The Dash begin a seven-game homestand with a Thirsty Thursday on May 28 against the Lynchburg Hillcats. For tickets, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.