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CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Sox Nip Nationals 5-4 Friday Night

July 6, 2018 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


WOODBRIDGE, VA (Friday, July 6) - The Salem Red Sox rode one explosive inning to victory Friday night, plating all five of their runs in the top of the sixth and withstanding a potent late charge to secure a 5-4 win over the Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium.

The Red Sox (8-7, 40-43) took a one-run victory for the second straight night, and bounced back after mustering precious little offense through the first five frames. Potomac (4-11, 41-41) squandered a number of opportunities in the late innings, scoring just one run and stranding six runners on base over the final three frames of action. Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run homer to start Salem's scoring, his second bomb in as many nights and fourth in his last seven games.

Potomac kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the second against Salem starting pitcher Jake Thompson (W, 4-7). Nick Basto singled with one away, and a walk to Rhett Wiseman put runners at first and second. Thompson recovered to fan Nick Banks, but Jack Sundberg laced a double just inside the third-base line to score the runners and put Potomac in front 2-0. The P-Nats added another in the bottom of the fifth, as Bryan Mejia opened the frame with a double before Luis Garcia doubled him home to make it a 3-0 lead.

After being held to just two hits through the first five frames, the Sox exploded in the top of the sixth inning. C.J. Chatham earned a one-out walk from Potomac starter Nick Raquet (ND), and Dalbec smoked a fastball over the wall in right-center field for his league-best 18th homer of the year. Mike Osinski followed the dinger with a single through the middle, chasing Raquet from the game.

New reliever A.J. Bogucki (BS, 1; L, 0-1) entered and fanned Ryan Scott, but Osinski swiped second, and sped to third on an errant throw from catcher Tres Barrera. Chris Madera delivered with an RBI single to tie the game, moving to second when Bogucki uncorked a wild pitch. Deiner Lopez hit a dying quail for a single up the middle, scoring Madera. Another stolen base and errant Barrera throw let Lopez scoot to third base, and he came home when Garcia's throw to first on a Nick Sciortino grounder skipped through the dirt and bounced away from Aldrem Corredor at first, giving Salem a 5-3 lead.

Potomac edged closer in the bottom of the seventh against Sox reliever Kevin McAvoy (H, 1). Mejia worked a one-out walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Garcia lashed a triple down the right field line, plating Mejia and putting the tying run just 90 feet away with one out. McAvoy was able to recover, whiffing Ian Sagdal and getting Barrera to line out to second to end the inning with Salem ahead 5-4. After striking out Corredor and Basto to open the eighth, McAvoy allowed the Nationals to load the bases, but whiffed Mejia to end the threat. In the bottom of the ninth, Jake Cosart (S, 5) gave up a one-out single to Sagdal and plunked Tres Barrera to put the tying and winning runs aboard. However, the flame-throwing righty recovered to get a groundout from Corredor and whiffed Basto to end the ballgame.

Thompson surrendered three runs on six hits and three walks in five innings of action, fanning one batter. McAvoy gave up one run on one hit and one walk in three frames, matching a season-best with six whiffs. Cosart struck out one and allowed one hit in his lone inning of action.

The Sox will try to keep their bats hot Saturday night, with righty Tanner Houck toeing the slab for Salem against P-Nats right-hander Joan Baez. First pitch at Pfitzner Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.

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