Home Combined one-hitter extends Salem Red Sox win streak to six
Sports

Combined one-hitter extends Salem Red Sox win streak to six

Contributors

salem red soxDaniel McGrath and Jamie Callahan combined to limit the Carolina Mudcats to one-hit Wednesday night, as the Salem Red Sox rolled to a 5-1 triumph at LewisGale Field. Salem has now won nine games in a row at home, and six games in a row overall.

Carolina (45-78, 16-37) leadoff batter Travis Demeritte tripled to right field to open the game against McGrath, and two pitches later scored on a sacrifice fly from Keith Curcio to give the Mudcats a 1-0 lead.

The Red Sox (74-47, 31-21) southpaw retired nine in a row before issuing a leadoff walk to Curcio in the fourth inning. With Kade Scivicque at the plate, McGrath (7-5) picked Curcio off first base, and then proceeded to retire the next 12 batters in a row before an eighth-inning walk to Tanner Murphy.

For the second time this season, McGrath threw 8.0 innings, allowing only one run on one hit, walking two and facing the minimum after Demeritte’s leadoff three-bagger.

Salem struck for an unearned run against Carolina starting pitcher Wes Parsons in the bottom of the second to tie the game at one. Mike Meyers singled and advanced to second on an error by centerfielder Erison Mendez. He got to third on a Jayce Ray groundout, and came in to score on a Jordan Procyshen sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the fifth, Procyshen led off with a double against Parsons (0-1) and scored on a Deiner Lopez single. Lopez stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch, before scoring on another wild pitch unleashed by reliever Andrew Thurman to hand Salem a 3-1 advantage.

The Red Sox expanded the lead further in the bottom of the eighth, when a two-out double from Jose Sermo off Thurman plated Meyers and Ray to widen the gap to 5-1.

Jamie Callahan relieved McGrath in the ninth inning, and used a double play to face the minimum and seal the win. The pair combined to face just one batter over the minimum throughout the contest.

With the win, Salem has won nine home games in a row for the first time since 2007, when the then-Salem Avalanche won just as many at LewisGale Field. Overall, the Red Sox have won six in a row, the third streak of six or more straight wins this year for the club.

Salem closes the series with Carolina and looks for the sweep Thursday night at LewisGale Field. First pitch is scheduled for7:05 pm. Salem sends Michael Kopech (2-1, 1.41) to the mound, while Carolina counters with Caleb Beech (2-7, 4.53). For tickets and more information, call (540) 389-3333 or slide to www.salemsox.com/tickets.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.