After Salem dropped game one, Mike McCarthy dazzled in his spot start in game two, helping the Sox split Sunday’s twin-bill at LewisGale Field. Carolina controlled the opener and rolled 7-1, but Salem responded with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap to remain ahead of the Mudcats in the race for the final playoff spot in the Southern Division. The Sox are a half game ahead of the Cats with two more games remaining in the four-game set. Salem has 15 games left in the regular season, while Carolina has 16 to play.
The Mudcats took advantage of seven walks in the first three innings of the opening game, scoring twice in the second and five times in the third. Kyle Stroup got tagged for two runs on two hits and four walks in the first two frames, while Gerardo Oliveras surrendered five runs on three hits and three walks in just two-thirds of an inning in the third. Much of the damage was done by Carolina’s top of the order, with Logan Vick and Joey Wendle combining for five RBI. Erik Gonzalez also drove in a pair to help Carolina build a 7-0 lead.
Mudcats starter Nick Pasquale held the Sox scoreless until the last of the sixth, when Keury De La Cruz launched a solo homer to help Salem avoid the shutout. Pasquale still stymied the Sox through six strong, permitting just one run on five hits to earn the win.
Sox reliever Robby Scott was fantastic out of the bullpen, setting down 10 of the 11 batters he faced over three and a third scoreless innings.
In game two, McCarthy set the tone with his work on the hill, and Sean Coyle delivered a big swing in his first game at LewisGale Field since May 23. Coyle led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer, launching a towering fly out to left to give the Sox a 1-0. It was his 11th of the year in the Carolina League, but his first since May 23.
In the second, Mookie Betts led off with a single, quickly stole second, and scored on Matt Gedman’s RBI single. Later in the frame, Coyle belted a sacrifice fly to bring in Gedman and but the Sox up 3-0.
That would be more than enough scoring for McCarthy, who was only scratched by an unearned tally in the top of the fourth. McCarthy yielded just one unearned run on three hits over five and two-thirds, picking up the win to improve to 4-2. Matty Ott pitched around two hits and recorded the final four outs to earn his fourth save of the season.
With Myrtle Beach falling in Lynchburg, both the Sox and Mudcats picked up a half-game on the first-place Pelicans in the second half race. While Myrtle Beach is assured a playoff spot because of its first-half title, the Pelicans lead the second-half chase by two and half over Salem and three over Carolina. The regular season ends on September 2, with the playoffs beginning two days later.
Salem sends Heri Quevedo to the mound on Monday night, while Robert Whitenack gets the start for Carolina, with the first pitch slated for 7:05.
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Chris Graham
