The Salem Red Sox broke out the lumber in game one of the doubleheader to defeat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 5-3 Tuesday evening at LewisGale Field.
The Pelicans (38-37, 2-3) struck first in the opening frame against starting pitcher Matt Kent to take a 1-0 lead, but the Red Sox (46-27, 3-1) got even in the bottom of the second on back-to-back doubles from Jordan Procyshen and Deiner Lopez against starter Trevor Clifton.
Salem then took the lead in the bottom of the third, when Joseph Monge struck for a solo home run leading off the frame to lift the Red Sox to a 2-1 lead. It was Monge’s first homer with Salem and fourth overall this year.
The advantage was short-lived, though, as three straight hits to begin the fourth for Myrtle Beach led to two runs and handed the Pelicans a 3-2 leg up.
The Red Sox jumped back ahead against Clifton (4-4) in the fifth, scoring three runs, highlighted by an RBI double from Danny Mars and a two-run single from Nick Longhi.
Longhi finished game one of the twinbill 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, extending his team-leading total to 44 on the season. His single was the only of Salem’s seven hits which did not go for extra bases.
With the club leading 5-3, Mario Alcantara pitched well in relief of Kent, who lasted 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and failed to pitch into the sixth inning for the first time this season. Alcantara (7-0) lasted the final 2.1 innings, allowing just a walk and a hit batter to reach base.
Game two of the twinbill pits Anyelo Leclerc, who will be making his Salem Sox debut, against Zach Hedges (6-5, 2.47) of the Pelicans.
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Chris Graham
