From the FredNats:
The Fredericksburg Nationals saw their season-opening skid grow to 13 games on Tuesday night, as they dropped the opener of their six-game series against the Salem Red Sox by a score of 14-3.
The FredNats (0-13) gave up six runs in the first inning to the Red Sox (7-6), and couldn’t dig out of the early deficit.
For the third time this season, a FredNats starter didn’t escape the first inning. Pedro González (L, 0-3) allowed six runs, four earned, in 0.2 innings before being lifted due to a high pitch count. Alfonso Hernández delivered 2.1 scoreless innings to keep the game within reach, but the damage was already done.
Salem added four more in the fourth off Tomás Alastre, thanks to an RBI double from Gilberto Jimenez and an RBI single from Joe Davis. Davis drove in four runs total as part of a 3-for-5 night.
The FredNats couldn’t solve Red Sox starter Ryan Zeferjahn, who turned in 4.0 scoreless innings but didn’t qualify for the win. Jordan DiValerio (W, 3-0) earned the winning decision in middle relief, retiring all six men he faced.
In the seventh, Fredericksburg put together their lone rally of the evening to push across three runs. RBI singles from Jake Randa and Braian Fernández drew the FredNats to 12-3, but the Red Sox had the last laugh by adding single runs in the eighth and ninth.
The FredNats will continue their search for a win as they play game two against the Red Sox on Wednesday. First pitch from FredNats Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05.
