Salem Red Sox roll past Lynchburg Hillcats, 9-2

Salem’s two positional All-Stars each registered multiple extra-base hits as the Salem Red Sox scored the final eight runs to demolish the Lynchburg Hillcats 9-2 on Saturday evening in front of 5,224 at LewisGale Field. Garin Cecchini went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and walk to bring his league-best batting average up to .354, while Blake Swihart also went 2-for-4 with one double and his second homer of the season, a solo missile to right field that was the exclamation point to Salem’s nine-run outburst. Mike Augliera allowed just two runs in five and a third innings to pick up his fifth win, while both Matty Ott and Matt Price struck out three apiece out of the bullpen in their shutdown effort to take the Sox to the finish line.

Lynchburg leapt to an early lead on Kyle Kubitza solo homer in the second, and the Hillcats went back in front 2-1 on Elmer Reyes’ solo shot in the third, but Salem’s offense scored in five different innings to pull away. All together, the Sox mustered 11 hits, six for extra-bases, with seven different players driving in runs in the seven-run triumph.

Down 2-1, Salem loaded the bases against Hillcats starter Navery Moore in the last of the third. Following three straight walks, Keury De La Cruz attacked the first pitch he saw and smacked a two-run double off the wall in left. The aggressive approach put the Sox in front 3-2 and extended De La Cruz’ hitting streak to 15 straight games.

In the last of the fourth, Salem added to its lead when Stefan Welch doubled home Henry Ramos to make it 4-2. Felix Sanchez singled home Welch, and then Cecchini ripped the first of his two RBI doubles, scoring Sanchez to give the Sox a 6-2 lead. Two frames later, Deven Marrero drove in Sanchez and Cecchini plated Marrero, surging the Sox in front by six.

At the top of the order, Sanchez enjoyed a huge night, with two hits, one walk, three runs, three steals, an RBI, and a pair of outfield assists. Swihart added to his multi-hit performance on the defensive side as well, gunning down Kubitza when he attempted to steal second in the fourth inning. Swihart has now thrown out 23-of-56 base stealers on the season, a 41.1% clip that is #1 in the Carolina League.

Augliera permitted no runs aside from the two solo homers, yielding two runs on eight hits and two walks, with four strikeouts, improving to 5-4 on the season. Moore suffered the loss, slipping to 7-5 after surrendering six runs on six hits and four walks over three and two-thirds.

The Sox and Hillcats will wrap up the first half with a  doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05, and the Sox will send Henry Owens and William Cuevas to the mound as their two starters. Lynchburg is expected to counter with A.J. Holland and Blaine Sims.