CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Salem Whomped 8-3 by Wilmington Sunday

August 26, 2018 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


WILMINGTON, DE - Brett Netzer added two doubles to his league-best total, but it wasn't enough to lift the Salem Red Sox above three errors in a six-run fourth inning Sunday afternoon as they fell 8-3 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium.

The Red Sox (28-33, 60-69) dropped to a new season-worst nine games below .500 with the loss, and were outscored 24-7 over the three-game series. Wilmington (32-29, 63-68) swept Salem at Frawley for the second time since the All-Star Break and stayed hot as they prepare for a four-game series against the division-leading Lynchburg Hillcats. Netzer has hit 30 doubles in 2018, three ahead of any other Carolina League player.

Wilmington wasted no time cracking the scoreboard against Salem starting pitcher Jake Thompson (L, 5-12), who gave up a leadoff single to Blake Perkins to open the bottom of the first inning. Thompson got ahead of Rudy Martin 1-2, but the Blue Rocks outfielder pounded a fastball over the wall in right for a two-run homer to give Wilmington a 2-0 lead.

Salem drew level in the top of the third against Wilmington starter Daniel Tillo (W, 3-4). Nick Sciortino cracked a leadoff single, giving the Red Sox an opening. Tyler Hill hit a bouncer to the left side, and Sciortino was retired at second, but Gabriel Cancel's throw to first sailed too high and went out of play, allowing Hill to reach second. Netzer pounded a ground-rule double to right to score Hill before advancing to third on a wild pitch. C.J. Chatham sliced a single past the drawn-in infielders to plate Netzer and even things up at 2-2.

The Blue Rocks blew the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning. Leadoff man Emmanuel Rivera lofted a fly to right that Victor Acosta lost in the sun, and it clattered off Acosta's glove for a two-base error. Travis Jones singled to center to score Rivera, advancing to second on the throw from Hill. Vance Vizcaino struck out looking, and Nathan Esposito hit a bouncer to short that looked routine, but Chatham's throw to first bounced, allowing Esposito to beat it out and reach safely with a base hit. Angelo Castellano cracked a double down the left field line, scoring Jones; Castellano moved up to third base when Esposito was thrown out at home by Ryan Scott and Chatham. That set up back-to-back RBI doubles by Perkins and Martin. D.J. Burt singled Martin home for yet another run before advancing to second on the throw from the outfield, and Nick Sciortino's throw to second trying to catch Burt skittered away, allowing Burt to reach third base. Cancel hit a bouncer to short that Chatham booted, scoring Burt and running the lead to 8-2 over the Sox.

Salem got a run back in the top of the eighth against reliever Anthony Bender. Netzer lashed a one-out double up the right field line, and Jerry Downs knocked a two-out single through the middle to score Netzer and trim the lead to 8-3. That was as close as Salem would get, though, as the next four batters were retired in order to finish the game.

Thompson surrendered a career-worst eight runs (three earned) on a career-high 11 hits in 3.2 innings, fanning five and taking his 12th loss of the season to set a new Red Sox-era record. Hunter Smith allowed three hits and whiffed two in 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Joan Martinez struck out two batters against a hit and a walk in two shutout frames of relief.

The Sox will try to avoid a fifth straight loss as they open up a four-game series at the Winston-Salem Dash Monday night. Righty Daniel Gonzalez is slated to start for Salem against Winston-Salem right-hander Lincoln Henzman. First pitch from BB&T Ballpark 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.

Check out the Salem Red Sox Statistics



Carolina League Stories from August 26, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central