Salem Red Sox split Sunday doubleheader

It took 11 innings for the bats to warm up Sunday, as the Salem Red Sox split a doubleheader with the Carolina Mudcats dropping the opener 5-0 in 11 innings, and winning the second game 5-4.

Game one of the twin bill was a classic pitcher’s duel as Jalen Beeks of the Red Sox (2-2) and Max Povse of the Mudcats (2-2) matched zeroes at the start of the game.

Beeks threw 5.2 shutout innings for the Sox, pitching splendidly in his High-A debut. The 12^th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2014 allowed only five hits, walking two and striking out four. He gave way to German Taveras, who was excellent in long relief, hurling 3.1 scoreless frames in his second outing of the season.

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, Povse, Evan Phillips and Raymar Navarro were able to match their shutout as the game remained scoreless into the 11^th inning. In that fateful fame, the floodgates opened for the Mudcats as they scored five runs against Taylor Grover. A two-run single from Reed Harper, and a two-run double by Dansby Swanson were the big hits for a Carolina.

Navarro (1-0) got the win in relief pitching 2.0 shutout innings, while Grover (0-1) got hung for the loss.

Game two of the double header featured more offense as both the Mudcats and the Red Sox scored runs in the first inning. Jake Drehoff allowed an RBI single to Swanson in the top half of the stanza, while Yoan Moncada scored on an error by right fielder Braxton Davidson in the bottom half.

The Sox would strike for two runs in the bottom of the second thanks to Rafael Devers smacking the first home run of the season for the Red Sox, followed by a Danny Mars triple and a Jordan Procyshen RBI single two batters later.

The Mudcats evened the game up in the fourth inning on a two-run triple by catcher Joseph Odom, but the Sox answered right back in the bottom of the fourth with a Jordan Betts home run that wrapped around the left field foul pole.

The Sox added an insurance run in the sixth inning thanks to a Mars single plating Andrew Benintendi, who earlier tripled.

The winning pitcher in game two was Mario Alcantara (1-0) who went 2.2 innings in his first appearance of the season. Clark (0-1) threw a 6.0-inning complete game and was charged with the loss. Austin Maddox allowed a run in the top of the seventh inning, but held the lead to get his first save.

The Red Sox are back home at LewisGale Field on Monday when they start a new series with the Frederick Keys. Right-hander Ben Taylor is scheduled to make his first start of the season for the Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. For tickets and more information, call (540) 389-3333 or slide to www.salemsox.com/tickets.