Will play 12 home games in 13 days
The Salem Red Sox will have their longest homestand of the season when they play 12 games in 13 days beginning Tuesday of this week. The Sox opened the homestand with six games against the Augusta Greenjackets through Sunday.
Then, after a day off Monday, they welcome the Fredricksburg Nationals in for six beginning on Tuesday, June 25th. The Greenjackets are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves and Fredricksburg is a Washington Nationals affiliate. There are plenty of promotions planned for the homestand. Tonight is “Ladies Night,” Friday is African American Heritage Night and Saturday is “Wrestling Night” with a bobblehead giveaway. A week from tonight, on Thursday June 27, the Sox will host “Diversity Night.” Then, on the 28th, it’s Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act followed by a t-shirt giveaway on Friday the 29th for “Friends Night.” Details on all can be found on the Red Sox wedsite or by calling the Sox at 540-389-3333.
The Sox opened the homestand with an 11 am game Tuesday and they got things off to a good start with a 2-1 walk-off win over Augusta. Brooks Brannon doubled home Antonio Anderson for a first inning run and that held up through seven innings. In the top of the eighth the Jackets tied the game as Bryson Worrell tripled with one out and scored on a sacrifice fly. Salem walked off the win in the bottom of the ninth. Andy Lugo singled to lead off the inning and with two outs Anderson knocked him in to send the mid-day crowd of just under 2,500 home with smiles on their faces.
Nathanael Cruz picked up the win on the mound with one inning of scoreless relief after Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz started and pitched five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and fanning four. Royman Blanco allowed just one hit over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings but gave up the tying run. Salem had 10 hits, including three by Brannon as he raised his batting average to .297. Anderson, Lugo and Freili Encarnacion had two hits each for the Red Sox. With the win Salem improved to 33-31 overall. It was Salem’s eighth win their last 11 games.
