Salem Rallies to Split Series with Lynchburg

The Salem Red Sox rallied to split the series with the Lynchburg Hillcats on Sunday afternoon after picking up the 9-6 victory.

After a five-run first inning by the Hillcats, the bats stayed relatively quiet the rest of the ballgame, only piecing together one run in the final eight innings.

Salem struck first in the top of the first inning on a Luis Ravelo double to left that brough home Cutter Coffee. Parker Messick would have to work out of a jam to escape the inning only allowing a run.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Hillcats would explode for five runs, the first of which scoring on a Wuilfredo Antunez single that brought home Nate Furman. Jose Devers would drive home Juan Benjamin with a single of his own before getting caught in a rundown on a stolen base attempt to let Antunez score.

The inning was capped off by a two-run home run from Jordan Brown to make it a 5-1 game. For Brown, it was his second home run of the series, and third of the year.

Salem would cut the deficit to one in the top of the second as back-to-back doubles from Juan Montero and Karson Simas would bring Salem back. Allan Castro would also drive home a runner with a fielder’s choice.

Lynchburg would score one more run in the fourth inning as Benjamin would walk with the bases loaded to score Brown. From there, the Hillcats would only pick up one more hit for the rest of the ballgame.

The Red Sox would tie things up in the fifth inning on a Lyonell James fielder’s choice and Yorberto Mejicano single.

The game would remain tied until the ninth when Samuel Vasquez would come into the ballgame and give Salem the lead. Cutter Coffey, on his birthday, would drive home two runs on a single early in the inning. To make it a three-run game, James would ground into a fielder’s choice, putting the game away.

Lynchburg would be held silent in the bottom of the inning as they fell to 20-19 on the year.

The Hillcats will spend this week in Delmarva to take on the Shorebirds before returning home at the end of May to take on the Carolina Mudcats.