Six-run second spurs Red Sox to 8-2 win over Dash

The Salem Red Sox sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning and scored six runs, powering their way to an 8-2 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash on Wednesday night at LewisGale Field.

Trailing 1-0 at the outset of the inning, Salem got going quickly with a Jake Romanski RBI double, scoring Kevin Heller. Three batters later, Aneury Tavarez reach on an infield single, driving in Romanski. Batting with two outs, Jose Vinicio singled to knock in Tavarez and Wendell Rijo, making it 4-1. The lineup turned back over to Heller who came up for the second time in the inning with two outs and the bases loaded. He worked a walk and earned an RBI with Jordan Betts scoring on the play. Vinicio then scored on a wild pitch from Euclides Leyer, pushing the score to 6-1 Salem.

Ty Buttrey earned the win in his third start with the Red Sox. Buttrey (3-0) pitched five innings and battled control issues with five walks but allowed only two runs, one earned, while striking out five.

Winston-Salem snuck runs across in the first and the third against Buttrey. Nick Basto drove in the first run, scoring Trey Michalczewski with a single. With two outs and a runner on second in the third inning Buttrey fielded a Basto grounder off the mound and hurried a throw to first that got past Sam Travis. Chris Jacobs scored from second on the error to cut the lead to 6-2.

The Sox added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. With runners on first and third, Romanski skied a pop up just outside of the infield that Cleuluis Rondon misplayed and allowed to fall at his feet. Vinicio scampered home from third base but Travis was thrown out at second. Two batters later, Wendell Rijo crunched a double in to left field, driving in Mario Martinez to push the lead to 8-2.

Andre Wheeler (1-2) was tagged with the loss for Winston-Salem, lasting just 1.2 innings with 6 runs, one earned, scored against him.

Travis led the way with three hits for Salem while Vinicio recorded two hits, scored twice and drove in two runs. Taylor Grover and Jorge Marban tossed four scoreless innings of relief for Salem to earn the victory.

The Sox and Dash meet up in the rubber game of the three-game series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Aaron Wilkerson (1-0, 1.08) will make his second Salem start against Winston-Salem’s Jace Fry (1-4, 3.03). Fans can enjoy dollar beverage specials as part of Thirsty Thursday and 80’s night at the park. Fans unable to attend can listen to the game on 1240 AM ESPN Roanoke, online at salemsox.com or via the TuneIn Radio app.