The Salem Red Sox recorded a 7-4 win in the series opener against the FredNats.
After a scoreless first inning, the Red Sox took advantage of some erratic pitching from Luke Young. He walked three of the first four batters in the top of the second, but picked up a strikeout for the second out. Young worked to a 1-1 count against Juan Chacon, who laced a bases-clearing double into the left-center field alley to put Salem ahead 3-0.
Young buckled down to get through four innings total, without allowing any further damage. Salem’s Jedixson Paez kept the Nats scoreless though, firing five innings while walking just one batter.
In the top half of the sixth, Mason Denaburg walked the first three batters in the inning before he was lifted for Kevin Rodriguez. He gave up a two-run double to Enderso Lira to make it 5-0 Salem, then a single off the bat of Lyonell James pushed the lead to 6-0. Finally, Juan Chacon picked up the seventh run on a fielder’s choice to second base which put the Red Sox ahead 7-0.
The Nats scratched a run back in the bottom of the sixth on an E6, but found a rally in the seventh inning. Cortland Lawson singled on the first pitch of the frame, then Johnathon Thomas singled and move to second base on a throwing error by the pitcher, with Lawson advancing to third base. Daylen Lile got the job done with his flare shot triple down the left field line, as the FredNats cut the deficit to 7-3. Lile later came home on a wild pitch to make it 7-4 Salem.
The Red Sox bullpen shut the door from there, holding down a 7-4 win. Paez got his first win, Jonathan Brand picked up his fourth save, while Luke Young fell to 1-3 on the year. In game two tomorrow, Erik Tolman makes his 2023 FredNat debut against fellow southpaw Noah Dean.
