Matt Rauh worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning, and Potomac pitching cruised the rest of the way en route to a 3-0 shutout over the Salem Sox on Tuesday afternoon at Pfitzner Stadium. Mickey Pena tossed seven strong innings for the Sox, but suffered the tough-luck setback. Meanwhile, the Red Sox dropped to 3-4 on their week-long trip, despite outscoring their opponents 36-24 in the seven games.
Rauh issued three straight walks in the top of the first, but the Sox could not capitalize on their best scoring chance of the day. Rau completed five frames, dealing 42 of his 70 pitches for strikes. He permitted just three hits and earned the victory on his 22nd birthday. In relief, David Fischer held the Red Sox hitless in three dominant innings, while Robert Benincasa tossed a perfect ninth to earn his eighth save in as many tries.
Pena surrendered three runs on five hits over seven frames, walking three and striking out three. He dealt 62 of his 102 pitches for strikes, but fell to 4-5 on the season.
The Nationals scored runs on back-to-back fielder’s choices in the fourth inning, with Cutter Dykstra and Adrian Nieto picking up RBI. In the sixth, Michael Taylor’s sacrifice fly plated Billy Burns to make it 3-0.
Potomac outhit Salem 5-3, with Adrian Sanchez registering the only multi-hit game for either club. Deven Marrero snapped his 0-for-13 skid with a third-inning double for the Red Sox, while Mookie Betts snapped an 0-for-7 skid with a triple in the fourth. The Red Sox could not drive either man in, though, finishing 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday afternoon.
The Salem Sox are back in the Roanoke Valley on Wednesday night for a week-long homestand against Frederick and Potomac. The action begins on Wednesday at 7:05, with Sox righthander William Cuevas scheduled to start opposite Keys knuckleballer Zach Clark.
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Chris Graham
