The Salem Red Sox struck for five runs in the first two innings and coasted past the Frederick Keys 7-2 on Thursday night at Harry Grove Stadium for their fifth-consecutive win.
Salem started quickly in the first, knocking in three runs. Sam Travis beat out an infield single to score Deiner Lopez, who led off the game with a double, for the first run. One batter later, Kevin Heller blasted a two-run homer to right-center, giving the Red Sox a 3-0 advantage.
The Sox picked up where they left off in the second. With Cole Sturgeon on third base and Lopez on second, Travis chopped a grounder to Jeff Kemp at second who threw home trying to get Sturgeon at home. Sturgeon beat the throw and Lopez advanced to third, making it 4-0. Two batters later, Wendell Rijo skied a fly to right deep enough for Lopez to tag and sprint home and score on the sacrifice fly that made it 5-0 Red Sox.
Salem led 6-0 before the Keys had a baserunner as Jake Romanski drove in Heller with a single for the sixth run in the top of the fourth inning. Ty Buttrey had retired the first nine batters he faced through three innings. Buttrey (4-0) allowed a single in the fourth but faced the minimum through five innings thanks to a double play.
The Keys did their damage in the sixth, beginning the frame with four straight singles. Tucker Nathans scored on the fourth, a single off the bat of Josh Hart. Anthony Caronia then gave Frederick a second run when Buttrey delivered a wild pitch, but the Keys would get no more as Buttrey struck out the final two batters of the frame. He finished with five hits allowed over six two-run innings, striking out four.
The Red Sox seventh run came in the fifth. Jordan Betts doubled to lead off the inning and stood on third with the bases loaded. Heller was hit by a pitch, allowing Betts to score from third. Betts finished 2-for-5 with a run scored, Heller went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI and Lopez was 3-for-4 with two doubles and runs scored.
Mike Adams earned his fourth save with three shutout innings in relief of Buttrey, striking out three and surrendering only one hit.
The Sox fifth straight win represents the longest winning streak of the season and vaults their record to 25-22. Frederick’s loss means that they have lost back-to-back home games for the first time in 2015, dropping their record to 24-23. Salem looks for the sweep on Friday night at 7 p.m. Trey Ball (3-4, 4.75) will start for Salem opposite David Hess (2-2, 5.24) for the Keys. Fans can listen to the game on 1240 AM ESPN Roanoke, online onsalemsox.com or via the TuneIn Radio app.
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