CarL1 Salem RidgeYaks

Salem Wobbles to 8-6 Loss at Wilmington Tuesday

Published on July 24, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


WILMINGTON, DE - Jerry Downs hammered two home runs and Michael Osinski matched a career-high with three hits for the third time in a week, but the Salem Red Sox couldn't overcome their own miscues Tuesday night as they tumbled 8-6 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium.

The Sox (16-16, 48-52) blew a three-run lead and couldn't get out of their own way, allowing nine walks, three wild pitches, two passed balls and an error. Wilmington (20-11, 51-50) scored their fifth consecutive win and opened up some more breathing room in the Northern Division standings, as they now lead the Lynchburg Hillcats by 3.5 games and the Red Sox by 4.5. Downs homered for the second straight game and notched his second multi-homer game of his career, having previously hit two bombs on May 23 at Frederick.

Salem opened up an early lead in the top of the second inning against Wilmington starter Andres Sotillet (ND), who got to a 2-0 count with one out against Downs before firing a fastball. That pitch choice proved unwise, as Downs punished the heater for a solo homer over the right field wall to put Salem ahead 1-0.

The Sox tacked on a pair in the top of the third inning. C.J. Chatham earned a one-out walk, and Roldani Baldwin slashed a double to left to score Chatham. Michael Osinski kept the good times rolling with an RBI double of his own, plating Baldwin and running the lead to 3-0.

Wilmington got on the board in the bottom of the fourth against Salem starting pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez (ND), who allowed a leadoff double to D.J. Burt and walked Gabriel Cancel to put runners at first and second. Hernandez got Emmanuel Rivera to bounce into a 6-4-3 double play, leaving Burt at third with two outs, but Meibrys Viloria singled to bring in Burt, and Hernandez lost the zone, walking both Travis Jones and Brewer Hicklen to load the bases. Rudy Martin earned a bases-loaded walk, bringing in Viloria to cut the lead to 3-2. Hernandez managed to fan Angelo Castellano to quell the bleeding with the Red Sox still in front.

The Sox earned some breathing room back in the top of the fifth inning. Osinski worked a one-out walk, pilfered second base with two away, and moved up to third on a wild pitch by Sotillet. With the count full, Victor Acosta hit a screaming meemie over Hicklen in left for an RBI double to make it a 4-2 game.

The Blue Rocks would not be so easily dismissed. Blake Perkins drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Burt. After advancing Perkins to third with a wild pitch, Hernandez walked Cancel, and Rivera hit a hard grounder that shortstop Carlos Tovar knocked down but couldn't make a play on, and Perkins scooted home to bring the Blue Rocks back within a run at 4-3.

Wilmington moved in front in the bottom of the seventh against Sox reliever Jared Oliver (BS, 3; L, 3-3), who walked Gabriel Cancel with two away and allowed a single to Rivera that put runners at the corners. Another single by Viloria brought home Cancel, with Rivera reaching third on the play. Oliver let a wild pitch slip, bringing in Rivera and giving Wilmington a 5-4 edge.

The Blue Rocks added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth against Salem reliever Hunter Smith. Martin struck out on a wild pitch and scampered safely to first base before Oliver Nunez struck out swinging. Martin stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout to first by Perkins. Burt cracked a single to left, scoring Martin, and Cancel and Rivera hit consecutive RBI doubles to run the lead to 8-4.

The Sox made things interesting in the top of the ninth against Blue Rocks reliever Tyler Zuber, who replaced righty Andrew Beckwith (W, 1-0). With one out, Osinski hammered a double to left-center field, and Downs took a 2-2 fastball high over the wall in right-center for a two-run shot to cut the margin to 8-6. However, Zuber recovered to whiff Acosta and Ryan Scott, ending the game.

Hernandez allowed three runs on four hits and a career-high six walks in five innings, fanning five batters. Oliver gave up two runs on two hits and three walks in 1.2 innings of work, striking out two. Smith surrendered three runs on three hits while recording three punchouts.

The Sox will look to rebound Wednesday morning in an early affair, with righty Daniel Gonzalez starting for Salem against Blue Rocks right-hander Carter Hope. First pitch from Frawley Stadium is scheduled for 11:05 a.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 10:45 a.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.

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Carolina League Stories from July 24, 2018


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