One week after the Salem Red Sox won three straight at home to take three out of four from the Blue Rocks, Wilminigton returned the favor at Frawley Stadium. On this evening, Salem’s four-run lead disappeared with two outs in the last of the sixth, and Wilmington took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the 11th, when Jorge Bonifacio’s sacrifice fly to right brought home Justin Trapp to give the Blue Rocks a 7-6 victory.
Salem put runners in scoring position in each of the final three innings, but stranded them all, leaving a total of 14 in the frustrating 11-inning setback.
The Blue Rocks second consecutive walk-off win came despite a bunch of phenomenal individual performances from Red Sox hitters. David Renfroe led the way with four hits, while Blake Swihart and Henry Ramos each 3-for-5. Garin Cecchini’s multi-hit games streak ended at seven, but with one hit and two walks he reached base three times. Cecchini still leads the league with a .391 average.
But of Salem’s 13 hits, only three came with men in scoring position. The Sox went 3-for-18 in clutch situations, missing countless opportunities to stretch the lead early, or to win the game late. The Sox scored twice in the second inning and three more times in the third against Blue Rocks starter Sam Selman, staking a 6-2 lead after adding one more off reliever Malcom Culver in the fifth. With two outs and one on in the last of the sixth, Nefi Ogando seemingly had Salem’s four-run lead secured. However, with two outs , four straight Blue Rocks reached base. Daniel Mateo drilled a three-run double that brought the Rocks within one, and Bonifacio singled to drive in Mateo to tie the game at six.
In the last of the 11th, Justin Trapp led off with a double against Matty Ott, Salem’s righty reliever who had held the Rocks scoreless in his first three innings on the mound. Nate Striz took over for Ott with the winning run at second base, and Mateo bunted Trapp to third, setting up Bonifacio’s game-ending sac fly, which came on an 0-2 pitch.
The loss dropped the Sox to 12-13 overall and 0-4 in extra inning games in 2013.
Salem continues its road trip in Winston-Salem on Friday night, with William Cuevas scheduled to face Chris Bassitt in a battle of righties. First pitch is slated for 7:00.
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