CarL1 Salem Red Sox

Sox Survive & Surpass Mudcats 10-9

Published on August 20, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Salem Red Sox News Release


Salem, VA - The Red Sox never trailed and never felt comfortable in their 10-9 triumph over the Mudcats on Tuesday night at LewisGale Field. In a wild game that included 17 runs in the first four innings, Carolina stranded 14 men on base, including the tying run at third in the top of the ninth, giving Salem its third straight victory to move within a half game of the first-place Pelicans and two and a half ahead of the third-place Mudcats. Mookie Betts led the Red Sox with three hits and three RBI, finishing a double shy of the cycle in another remarkable performance for the 20-year-old second baseman.

Betts' two-run homer sparked Salem's six-run second inning, bolting the Sox to a 7-1 lead. But by the middle of the fourth, it was tied 8-8 thanks to Carolina's two-run third and five-run fourth. When Betts bashed an RBI triple in the last of the fourth, Salem inched ahead 9-8, and the Sox somehow held on despite Carolina putting runners in scoring position in four of the last five innings.

In the fifth, Carolina had the bases loaded with one out and the three-four hitters up, but Nate Striz struck out Joey Wendle and popped up Paddy Matera to escape. In the sixth, the Mudcats put runners at first and third, but Madison Younginer replaced Striz and fanned back-to-back Mudcats to keep the Sox ahead by one.

The Sox added a pivotal insurance run in the last of the sixth, with Cody Koback singling home Matt Gedman to make it 10-8. The two-run gap that would stand until the ninth, but Nefi Ogando issued back-to-back walks and a very wild pitch to make it 10-9 and put the tying run at third base with one out. Like other Sox hurlers before him, Ogando used the strikeout to finish off the Mudcats, punching out Matera and Bryson Myles to end the game.

Matty Johnson and Carson Blair both delivered a triple and two RBI, while Sean Coyle's two-hit night complemented Betts three-hit performance. Gedman picked up one hit and walked twice, scoring three times to help the Sox improve to 65-62 on the year, three games above the .500 mark for the first time in 2013. In the second half, the Sox are 32-25, winners of 14 of their last 20.

Younginer picked up the victory in relief, spinning two and two-thirds scoreless innings, working around one hit and two walks. Ogando earned his third save, despite serving up two walks, one wild pitch, and allowing one run.

The Red Sox will look to continue their winning ways on the road on Wednesday, opening a critical three-game series in Myrtle Beach. The Pelicans, who have lost four straight, are 0.5 games ahead of the Sox in the second half Southern Division chase. William Cuevas will start the series opener opposite Alec Asher, with the first pitch slated for 7:05.

Check out the Salem Red Sox Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from August 20, 2013


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