The Salem Red Sox fell to the Wilmington Blue Rocks 12-4 Friday night at LewisGale Field.
The Red Sox (24-10) fell behind early as Travis Lakins struggled with his command and the Blue Rocks (10-23) pounced to take a 2-0 lead in the first. Wilmington added three runs in the second to open up an early five run lead.
Salem got to Wilmington starter Derek Gordon in the second when Nick Longhi doubled and scored on a Mike Meyers groundout to cut it to 5-1. Longhi finished 2-for-4 with the double, a run scored and two RBIs.
Gordon pitched well in his first start with the Blue Rocks, allowing just the one run on one hit in 4.0 innings of work.
Lakins (4-2) allowed two more runs in the fourth, before being removed from the game. Jamie Callahan came in from the bullpen and allowed four additional runs (two earned) in 2+ innings, and Yankory Pimentel yielded only an unearned run in the game’s final 3.0 innings.
It looked like another Salem comeback was on the horizon in the sixth, when the Sox struck for three runs off of Blue Rocks reliever Kyle Kubat, to cut the lead to 9-4, but that was as close as they would get. Kubat (1-0) pitched solidly in 3.0 innings in relief.
The Red Sox continue the four-game series with the Blue Rocks Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Salem will send Jalen Beeks (4-1, 2.90) to the mound, countered by Matt Tenuta (2-1, 4.65) of Wilmington. Saturday continues the Weekend of Giving at LewisGale Field, for tickets and more information on how to give back with the Sox, call (540) 389-3333 or slide to www.salemsox.com.
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Chris Graham
