Salem Nipped 6-5 by Wilmington Thursday
August 9, 2018 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release
SALEM, VA - The Salem Red Sox got the tying and winning runs on base in the ninth inning Thursday night but couldn't close the deal for a comeback, falling 6-5 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Haley Toyota Field.
The Sox (21-24, 53-60) dropped to seven games out of first place, making a run for a Mills Cup appearance a tall task. Wilmington (28-17, 59-56) took the rubber match of the series and extended their Northern Division lead to 2.5 games over the Lynchburg Hillcats.
Wilmington struck immediately in the top of the first against Salem starting pitcher Tanner Houck. D.J. Burt singled with one away, and Gabriel Cancel ripped a double into the gap in right-center to make it 1-0. However, Salem responded against Wilmington starting pitcher Daniel Tillo (ND) in the bottom of the inning; Tyler Hill and Jake Romanski started the inning with consecutive singles, and Jerry Downs knocked Hill in with a one-out single to tie the game at 1-1.
The teams traded tallies again in the second inning. Rudy Martin cracked a one-out single and stole second base, and Angelo Castellano hit a twisting liner to right for an RBI double to plate Rudy Martin. In the bottom of the inning, Victor Acosta and Jagger Rusconi drew walks and Nick Lovullo singled to load the bases with nobody out. Hill bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, but Acosta scored to knot things up at 2-2.
Salem surged ahead in the bottom of the third. C.J. Chatham and Downs worked consecutive walks to begin the frame, and moved to second and third when Josh Tobias bounced out back to the mound. Michael Osinski knocked a single to left to score the runners and put Salem in front 4-2.
Wilmington drew level in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs and Burt and Cancel at second and third, Meibrys Viloria hammered a double up the third-base line, plating both runners to tie the game up at 4-4.
The Sox immediately retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Downs singled with one away and moved up to second on a walk drawn by Tobias. Osinski grounded into a 4-6 fielder's choice, but Angelo Castellano's throw to first was well wild, allowing Downs to scamper home and put Salem back in front 5-4.
Wilmington evened it up once more in the top of the sixth against Salem reliever Austin Glorius (BS, 1). Rudy Martin welcomed Glorius with a triple, and came in to score on a one-out single by Castellano. The Blue Rocks added one more in the seventh against Hunter Smith (L, 2-2), with Emmanuel Rivera leading off with a double, and a single by Viloria and another by Travis Jones scored Rivera and put Wilmington ahead 6-5 to stay. Wilmington relievers Carter Hope (W, 5-3) and Bryan Brickhouse (H, 1) held the Sox in check from the sixth through the eighth. Tyler Zuber (S, 8) allowed two hits to the Red Sox in the ninth, putting runners at second and third, but fanned Tobias to end the game and seal the victory.
Houck took a no-decision, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in five frames while fanning seven. Glorius surrendered one run in his only inning of relief, striking out one while allowing two hits and one walk. Smith gave up a run on three hits in two innings, registering one strikeout. Durbin Feltman fired a perfect ninth with one strikeout.
The Sox will try to rebound Friday night as they open a four-game series against the Carolina Mudcats. Right-hander Kevin McAvoy takes the ball for Salem against Carolina righty Jorge Ortega. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is scheduled for 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.
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