Salem Bedeviled 6-1 by Buies Creek Friday

BUIES CREEK, NC (Friday, July 20) - The Salem Red Sox ended their eight-day, seven-game road swing with a bad taste in their mouth Friday night, striking out 15 times in a 6-1 loss to the Buies Creek Astros at Jim Perry Stadium. 
Salem (15-13, 46-48) came within one offensive strikeout of matching their season-worst effort of 16 on April 6, also against Buies Creek. The Astros (18-11, 55-43) leapt ahead early on and never trailed, taking the season series between the clubs 6-5. Michael Osinski collected a career-best three hits for a second consecutive night.

The Astros struck first in the bottom of the second inning against Salem starter Daniel Gonzalez (L, 7-5). Ronnie Dawson singled to lead off the frame, stole second base, and took third on a wild pitch. Cody Bohanek earned a walk from Gonzalez, who induced a bouncer to short from Jake Adams. The Red Sox retired Bohanek at second for the second out, but Adams beat out the back end of the attempted double play, allowing Dawson to score and give the home team a 1-0 edge.
Buies Creek expanded their advantage in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Bohanek rapped a single through the left side, and Adams pounded a first-pitch fastball out of the yard to left for a two-run dinger, running the lead to 3-0. The Astros tacked on another in the bottom of the sixth, as Dawson doubled with one away, moved to third on a single by Bryan De La Cruz, and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Bohanek to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Red Sox finally broke through in the top of the seventh against Astros starter Tyler Ivey (W, 3-1), who walked Bobby Dalbec to lead off the inning. Dalbec went to third on a hit-and-run single by Osinski, and came home on a one-out sacrifice fly by Victor Acosta, trimming the margin to 4-1.
The Astros added two runs to their cushion in the bottom of the eighth inning against Salem reliever Hunter Smith, who issued a wild pitch with runners at the corners with one away to allow Dawson to scamper to second base. De La Cruz singled to center, scoring both Osvaldo Duarte and Dawson to give the Astros their final 6-1 lead. Salem was only able to notch one hit off reliever Yohan Ramirez (S, 1), who shut the door for the home team.
Gonzalez allowed four runs on six hits and a walk in six innings, fanning four. Smith surrendered two runs on two hits and a walk in his two innings of action.
The Sox will look to get back on the winning track Saturday night as they open a three-game series against the Potomac Nationals back in Salem. Righty Bryan Mata will take the ball for Salem against P-Nats righty Wil Crowe. First pitch at Haley Toyota Field is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., and the pregame show with Ben Gellman and Suzie Cool begins at 5:45 p.m. on the Red Sox broadcast network.