Red Sox Drop Friday Contest in 9-3 Loss

SALEM, Va. – Despite the Red Sox jumping out to an early lead, the Carolina Mudcats had Salem’s number much in part to a five run sixth inning.

The Red Sox were first on the board, tallying a run in the home half of the first. No. 13 Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias led off the frame with a base hit before swiping second. Nelly Taylor Jr. hit him home with an RBI-single to left.

The first half champs in the Carolina League North quickly responded as Luis Castillo got what would be a special night going with a two-run scoring single, driving in Yhoswar Garcia (dropped strike three, stolen base) and Reece Walling (walk). Both runners were put into scoring position via a passed ball.

Salem had their response in the third. Arias, who has been on a tear all week, hit a solo-bomb the opposite way over the right field fence to tie the game at two.

The Sox struck again in the fourth to reclaim an early lead. Andy Lugo got it going with a one-out single followed up by Albert Feliz and another base-hit. Daniel McElveny popped out before Fraymi De Leon tallied Salem’s third hit of the frame to load the bases on a slow rolling infield single down the first base line. Arias picked up his seventh RBI in three nights with a bases-loaded walk.

Despite two hits for the Mudcats and one for the Red Sox in the fifth, neither team could find a way on the scoreboard.

Nevertheless, Carolina exploded for the infamous “big inning” in the sixth with a five piece, taking a 7-3 lead. Juan Baez led off with a single before Cooper Pratt was hit by a pitch. Daniel Guilarter reached on an E6, scoring a run and Yhoswar Garcia added another with an RBI groundout. David Garcia kept it going with an RBI-single and Luis Castillo capped it off with a two-run homer over the right-center wall.

Salem did not have an offensive answer the rest of the night despite htis from Freili Encarnacion (single) and Brooks Brannon (double). Carolina added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Yhoswar Garcia set the table with a leadoff triple before Luis Castillo demolished back to back pitches. One was a 414 foot foul ball, then next was a two-run homer over the right field fence for his second bomb of the night. He finished a triple shy of the cycle with two home runs.

Red Sox starter, Yeferson Vargas was solid in his Single-A debut, tossing four innings, surrendering two hits and two runs while walking a pair and striking out five. Franklin Arias has been a bright spot and is off to a five-for-nine, seven RBI, two home run start to his Single-A career in three games.

With the series tied at two games each, the Red Sox and Mudcats are back in action again on Saturday night in Salem for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.