Sox split with Hillcats, play Augusta this week

The Salem Red Sox will be in Georgia this week before taking a break for the Major League All-Star game. The Sox will play the Augusta Greenjackets in a six game series through Sunday, then have four days off.

Salem is in the midst of an 18 game stretch without a home game with the Salem Fair in town. Last week they split six in Lynchburg and come into the week with a 6-9 record in the second half of the Carolina League split season. That puts them four and a half games behind North Division leader Carolina, who has started the second half with a 10-4 record.

The Sox got off to a good start in Lynchburg last week, winning the first two games. On Tuesday Steven Brooks and Joey Gartrell combined to pitch a four-hit shut as Salem won 1-0. Salem’s run came in the third inning when Natanael Yuten tripled and scored on a single by Fraymi De Leon.

On Wednesday the Sox took a 5-2 win in 10 innings. The game was tied at 1-1 after nine frames before Salem exploded for four runs in the top of the 10th. Yohander Linarez tripled to center to score two runs with no outs and Justin Gonzales followed with a two-run homer. The Hillcats scored one run in the bottom of the inning but Joe Vogatsky was able to close out the win.

Salem lost Thursday and Friday games, 7-1 and 4-3, but bounced back for a 7-5 win on Saturday afternoon. The Sox pounded out a dozen hits and Eybersson Polanco picked up the win in relief despite giving up three runs in two innings. Griffin Kilander started and pitched four two-hit shutout innings before yielding to Polanco, who vultured the win.

On Sunday the Hillcats earned a series split with a 6-5 win in a game Salem easily could have won. The Sox scored three in the top of the first, highlighted by an Enddy Azocar homer, and led 5-1 into the bottom of the ninth. However, Calvin Bickerstaff was torched for four runs in the inning as the Hillcats tied the game at 5-5, then walked it off in the 10th when Yosander Asencio singled in Luis Merejo with one out against reliever Nicolas De La Cruz. The comeback spoiled a strong outing by Luis Cohen, who started and pitched six two-hit innings.

After this week’s series in Augusta the Sox will return home to host Fayetteville for a three games series on July 18-20. The Woodpeckers are a farm team of the Houston Astros.