The Fredericksburg Nationals were swept by the Salem Red Sox in a doubleheader for the second time in three days on Saturday night. Game one saw the Red Sox score early and often in a 14-2 blowout, and a low-scoring affair in the nightcap ended in the seventh on a walk-off single from Nick Decker for a 2-1 Salem win.
The FredNats have now lost six straight, and have lost 11 in a row away from FredNats Ballpark.
Salem jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one, as Matthew Lugo hit a two-run single and Nicholas Northcut followed with a run-scoring groundout against Matt Merrill (L, 2-2). The FredNats got within a run in the fourth on a Leandro Emiliani two-run homer, but the Red Sox blew the game open in the bottom half of the inning with a seven-run frame.
Merrill allowed RBI singles to Antoni Flores and Tyler McDonough before departing, and Tyler Schoff gave up a Decker RBI single before a Jordy Barley throwing error allowed the inning to continue. Brainer Bonaci took advantage of the extra out, blasting a three-run triple into right-center for his first Salem hit.
The Red Sox added four more runs in the late innings, earning reliever Alexander Montero (W, 4-2) the win.
In game two, McDonough hit his first Red Sox homer in the first inning to put Salem ahead 1-0. Gilberto Chu settled down after that, completing 5.0 innings without allowing any further damage. The FredNats tied the game in the third on a Jake Boone RBI double, though it would turn out to be the final Fredericksburg hit of the night.
Salem left a runner in scoring position in the fifth and sixth, but finally converted in the seventh after Devon Roedahl (W, 7-2) pitched a hitless top half of the inning. Brendan Collins (L, 0-1) walked two batters and allowed an infield single to load the bases before Decker walked it off with a single to left field.
The FredNats will look to avoid the sweep against the Red Sox in their Sunday finale. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field in Salem is scheduled for 4:05, with FredNats On Deck beginning at 3:50 on the FredNats Baseball Network.
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Chris Graham
