Travis Shaw finished 1-for-1 with a three-run homer and four RBI, Christian Vazquez and Sean Coyle each recorded three hits, and the Salem Sox overcame two separate deficits to knock off Frederick 6-4 on Tuesday night at Harry Grove Stadium.
Vazquez and Michael Almanzar also belted home runs as the Sox snapped a four-game losing streak, despite falling behind 3-0 in the first. Shaw’s three-run blast tied it in the fifth, Vazquez’ solo bomb tied the score at four in the eighth, and Shaw drew a bases loaded walk to surge the Sox in front 5-4 later in the eighth, giving the Sox a lead they would not relinquish. Aaron Baker hit two homers and drove in three runs for Frederick, but the rest of the Keys offense managed just two hits.
Salem starter Miguel Celestino labored through the first, surrendering three runs on two hits and two walks. Johnny Ruettiger scurried home on a wild pitch and Baker belted a two-run homer to give the Keys a 3-0 lead. After the first, however, Celestino bore down and dealt four scoreless innings to complete five decently strong frames.
Frederick starter Tyler Wilson allowed just two hits over four scoreless innings, but in the fifth, a Coyle single and a Shannon Wilkerson walk prefaced Shaw’s three-run missile to right, tying the game at three. It was Shaw’s 14th homer of the year, and it came in his only official at-bat of the night. Shaw also drew four walks, setting a new season-high.
Baker’s second homer of the night, a solo blast off Charle Rosario in the sixth, gave the Keys a 4-3 lead. But Vazquez’ solo response in the eighth evened things again. After the homer, Coyle singled, Lucas LeBlanc doubled, Adalberto Ibarra drew an intentional walk to load the bases, and after a Wilkerson strikeout, Shaw worked the free pass to force in a run and give Salem the lead, picking up his fourth RBI of the day.
In the top of the ninth, Almanzar, hitless in his first four at-bats, lasered his second homer in as many nights over the fence in left, giving the Sox a 6-4 lead. Mike Olmsted completed a four-out save, retiring all four men he faced with three strikeouts and a pop-up to preserve Salem’s 49th win of the season.
In relief, Rosario earned the win, improving to 3-2, while Olmsted earned his 16th save. David Walters was tagged with the loss for Frederick, falling to 2-5 after he allowed three runs on five hits over two innings.
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Chris Graham
