Devers goes long as Salem Red Sox come up short

In front of over 5,000 fans, the Salem Red Sox honored the memories of WDBJ7 journalists Adam Ward and Alison Parker on Saturday night at LewisGale Field. The emotional evening saw the Myrtle Beach Pelicans come away with a 15-4 victory.

Four batters into the game, Myrtle Beach (55-51, 19017) had a 2-0 lead after a sacrifice fly and a run-producing groundout against Trey Ball. The lefty settled down after the turbulent beginning to record one of his best starts in the past month.

Ball (5-5) completed 6.0 innings for the first time since June 26, and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits, walking two and striking out four. The final line is deceptive, however, as Ball finished strong by retiring six of the final seven batters he faced.

The Red Sox (62-42, 29-16) scored a tally against Jonathan Martinez (9-5) in the bottom of the second when Jordan Betts tripled to score Jayce Ray and cut the Pelicans lead to 2-1. The blast was Betts’ first triple of the season, and his 20^th extra-base hit. Ray finished 3-for-4 with a run scored, recording his first three-hit game with Salem this year.

Salem added a run in the bottom of the sixth on a Rafael Devers opposite-field home run to trim the Myrtle Beach advantage to 6-2. It was Devers’ team-leading ninth home run of the season, and his fourth in the last eight games.

In the top of the seventh, the Pelicans battered around German Taveras, scoring six runs against him thanks to four walks, two hits and two wild pitches, while he only recorded one out. Jorge Marban allowed an inherited runner to score, but retired the side. The Pelicans sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame and opened up a 12-2 lead.

Marban surrendered a two-run home run to Jesse Hodges in the eighth to expand the Pelicans’ advantage to 14-2. In the bottom of the eighth, Salem narrowed the gap to 14-4 after a Danny Mars double scored Devers and Mike Meyers.

Myrtle Beach added another insurance run in the top of the ninth against Marban to expand the lead to 15-4.

The Red Sox complete the series with the Pelicans Sunday night at LewisGale Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Salem will send Anyelo Leclerc (2-0, 4.22) to the mound, while Myrtle Beach counters with Jeremy Null (2-4, 5.20). For tickets and more information, call (540) 389-3333, or slide to www.salemsox.com/tickets.