Pat Light surrendered a lone run in a career high seven innings of work, as the Salem Red Sox beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 7-1 at LewisGale Field Sunday night. The win gives the Sox back to back series victories going into Tuesday’s series opener with the first place Mudcats.
Light continued the brilliant stretch of Salem starting pitching, allowing just four hits and a run in his seven innings. Light is now 4-1 in his last six starts. Chad Bell was saddled with the loss for Myrtle Beach, allowing three runs on four hits in his three innings of work.
The Sox used back to back three run frames to blow the game open early. In the third, Jordan Weems led off with a walk, followed by a single by Dreily Guerrero. A batter later, Matty Johnson tripled both runners home to give the Sox a 2-0 edge. Two batters later, Jantzen Witte knocked in Johnson from third to push the lead to 3-0.
Nick Williams hit a solo home run off Light in the top of the fourth, Myrtle Beach’s lone run of the game. But the Sox answered right away when Kevin Heller homered with one out in the fourth off new pitcher Victor Payano. From there in the fourth, Dreily Guerrero singled with two outs, and scored on another Matty Johnson RBI hit. In a 5-1 game, Carlos Asuaje doubled in Johnson to give the Sox a 6-1 edge after four.
Salem added a final run in the seventh on a solo home run by Jantzen Witte. Kyle Martin and Kyle Kraus each threw a 1-2-3 inning in relief to preserve the win.
The Sox have now won four of six, and are just 2.5 games behind the first place Mudcats for the Southern divisions second half playoff spot. Salem and Carolina open a three game series Tuesday at LewisGale Field. Joe Gunkel is scheduled to start for the Sox. FIrst pitch Tuesday is scheduled for 7:05.
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Chris Graham
