On the strength of seven shutout innings from Michael Cuevas, the Fredericksburg Nationals defeated the Salem Red Sox on Thursday night by a score of 5-1.
Cuevas (W, 1-4) became just the third Fredericksburg pitcher to complete seven innings this season, allowing only three hits and earning his first Low-A win. The righty struck out five and walked two, sending the FredNats to their third win in four games.
Salem starter Jorge Rodriguez (L, 5-6) ran into trouble in the second, allowing four singles and three runs. Three consecutive RBI singles from Leandro Emiliani, Braian Fernández and Jake Boone put the FredNats up 3-0.
Boone ran hard from first base on a two-out popup from Jordy Barley in the fourth, and was rewarded for his hustle when Salem right fielder Nick Decker dropped the ball. The unearned run gave Fredericksburg a 4-0 lead.
Cuevas cruised through the Red Sox order, and after allowing a leadoff single to Nick Yorke to begin the ballgame didn’t allow another hit until the seventh inning. With a season-high pitch count and two runners on base in the seventh inning, Cuevas gloved a comebacker from Jecorrah Arnold to complete the best start of his career.
A double from Onix Vega in the seventh was followed by a Jake Randa sacrifice fly, extending the FredNats lead to 5-0. Ceddanne Rafaela got Salem on the board with a two-out RBI single in the eighth, but Trey Turner stranded two runners on base to keep the score 5-1.
In the ninth, the Red Sox loaded the bases against Tyler Yankosky before pinch hitter Gilberto Jiménez grounded out to end the game.
The FredNats continue their series against the Salem Red Sox on Friday. First pitch from FredNats Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05, with FredNats On Deck beginning at 6:50 on the FredNats Baseball Network.
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Chris Graham
