Allday leads Salem Red Sox to doubleheader split

Forrestt Allday collected two RBI, including his first professional home run, to help the Salem Red Sox salvage a split of a doubleheader on Tuesday night at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark with a 3-1 win in the nightcap. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans took the first game, 5-3.

Trailing 1-0 in the third inning of the second game, Allday launched a ball that flew over top of the left field foul pole for his first pro home run, knotting the score at one. The score remained tied until Allday come through again in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly plating Jordan Weems, who had walked to lead off the inning. Sam Travis followed with an RBI single scoring Manuel Margot to put the Red Sox ahead 3-1.

Taylor Grover walked the leadoff man in the last of the seventh, but got a double play to erase the baserunner. After a double from Daniel Lockhart, Grover (1-0) knocked down a comebacker from Wes Darvill and threw to first to finish off the Salem victory.

Joe Gunkel didn’t factor in the decision, but limited the Pelicans to just a first-inning run on three hits in five innings of work in his first start of the year. Jonathan Martinez gave up a run on two knocks in five innings for the Pelicans. Gerardo Concepcion (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) in his lone inning of work.

Myrtle Beach swiped the opener of the twin-bill thanks to a four-run second inning. With the bases loaded and one away, Carlos Penalver slashed a double down the left field line to score Jacob Rogers and Victor Caratini, making it 2-0 Pelicans. Two batters later, MLB rehabber Chris Denorfia grounded a ball to third that Jordan Betts misplayed, allowing two more runs to score.

Trailing 4-0, Margot led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo blast to left field for his first homer of the year. Myrtle Beach responded with an RBI single from Mark Zaguins in the bottom of the frame, but left fielder Cole Sturgeon threw out Penalver trying to score from second, limiting the damage.

The Sox would add a run in the fifth on a Jake Romanski sac fly and another on a Wendell Rijo RBI triple in the seventh, but would strand the tying runs on base in the 5-3 setback.

Daniel McGrath (0-1) took the loss for Salem, giving up five runs (three earned) on two hits and five walks in 3.1 innings. Jen-Ho Tseng (1-0) was brilliant in five innings for the Pelicans, allowing only two runs on four hits. Tayler Scott picked up his first save despite allowing a run on three hits in two innings.

Salem and Myrtle Beach wrap up the three-game set on Wednesday evening at 7:05 p.m. The Red Sox will send Jake Dahlstrand (1-0, 0.00) to the mound against the Pelicans’ Duane Underwood, Jr. (1-0, 0.00) Fans can listen to the game starting at 7 p.m. on 1240 AM WGMN ESPN Roanoke, on salemsox.com or via the TuneIn Radio app.