The Salem Red Sox will be back home this week to host the Carolina Mudcats in a six game series at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
Carolina, a Milwaukee Brewers farm team, comes into the week atop the Carolina League’s North Division in the second half standings. The Mudcats held a one game advantage over Fredricksburg after last week’s action and Fayetteville is just two games out with three games to go in the season.
Salem is a longshot to catch any of the three after dropping four of six in Fredricksburg last week. The Red Sox are now six and a half games out with a 21-27 second half record.
The Sox dropped the opener in Fredricksburg last week, 3-1. Wednesday’s game was suspended by inclement weather and completed as the first part of a doubleheader on Thursday. Salem won that game, 4-2, but dropped the nightcap, 6-2.
On Friday Salem lost a heartbreaker. The Sox led 4-3 into the bottom of the ninth but Fredricksburg won on a “walk off balk” by Eybersson Polanco with the score tied 4-4 and a runner on third.
Salem bounced back to win Saturday’s game, 7-5. Justin Gonzales hit his fourth home run of the season to lead off the game and two batters later Yoeilin Cespedes drove one out for his seventh homer. Griffin Kilander picked up his fourth win in relief and Nicolas De La Cruz pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Salem had a chance to even the series on Sunday but couldn’t get it done as the Nationals pulled out a 10-9 slugfest in 10 innins. The first four players in the Sox order, Gonzales, Starlyn Nunez, Maximus Martin and Natanael Yuten were a combined nine-for-20 at the plate with five runs scored and Salem led 7-1 after five innings. However, the Nats put six on the board in the sixth inning then got a walk off win for the second time in the series on a Sox throwing error, a hit batter and a single.
This week’s promotions include Hockey Night tonight, Harry Potter Night on Friday with fireworks and Military Appreciation Night on Saturday.
