Mired in a tough stretch, Deven Marrero displayed signs of emerging in Wednesday’s win over Wilmington. He furthered his resurgence with a break-out performance on Thursday night, reaching base five times in Salem’s 13-4 romp over Winston-Salem. Blake Swihart joined Marrero as former first round picks to bash the Dash, as the duo combined for five hits, three walks, four runs, and seven RBI. Stefan Welch also homered for the seventh time in a Salem jersey, and Keury De La Cruz rocketed a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth to put the cherry on the sundae.
To only talk about the offense would be a extreme disservice to Salem’s starter, Heri Quevedo, who retired 12 in a row at one point and dealt six dominant innings, permitting just one run on three hits. Quevedo struck out seven and walked one, improving to 5-5 on the year. In relief, both Matty Ott and Madison Younginer allowed runs, but the Sox offense assured that plenty of space separated Salem and Winston on Thursday evening.
The Sox cracked first in the last of the scoring, plating a pair off Winston starter Braulio Ortiz. Salem left the bases loaded, though, and squandered an opportunity to significantly widen the gap. Looking back, it was less of a squander than simply a delay.
In the last of the fourth, five of the first six Sox hitters reached base, with Marrero and Swihart both driving in two runs in this four-run frame that stretched the lead to 6-zip. The Dash used a solo homer from Josh Richmond to get on the board in the top of the fifth, but Welch launched a leadoff long-ball in the last of the sixth to put the Sox up by six again.
In the seventh, Winston scored twice off Ott, but the Sox retaliated twofold, sending across four runs, taking advantage of three walks. Swihart ripped another two-run single, while Mookie Betts connected on an RBI double, one of his two hits on the night to give Salem an 11-3 lead.
The wide gap swelled to 10 in the eighth, when De La Cruz avoided an ignominious 0-for-6 performance with his first hit, belting a two-run double to join all of his teammates in the reaching base department. Up 13-3, the Dash scratched one tally off Younginer in the ninth, but Salem enjoyed a nine-run rout to kick off the three-game set. The Sox fell one shy of their season highs in hits, runs, and men left on base.
The Sox remain a game and a half behind the first-place Mudcats, who beat Frederick 6-5 on Thursday night.
Salem and Winston reunite on Friday, with two-time defending Carolina League Pitcher of the Week Mike Augliera making the start against Dash newbie Mark Recchia, who’ll be making his Carolina League debut. First pitch is slated for 7:05.
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Chris Graham
