Keys gain ground on Sox to open eight game homestand

It will be a big weekend for bobblehead fans, as Salem will be giving away two of the coveted items this weekend. On Friday night Anthony Rizzo bobbleheads will be given away prior to the 7:05 pm game and on Saturday fans will receive a Ben Zobrist bobblehead prior to the 6:05 pm start. Sunday’s game will be at 1:05 pm and Monday will be a special 11:05 am morning game against the Pelicans.

Salem was 24-14 and four games ahead of second place Frederick in the Carolina League Northern Division standings through Tuesday night. The Keys picked up two games on the lead to open the series with a 9-5 win on Monday and a 9-4 win on Tuesday. It was just the third time this season that Salem has lost consecutive games.

On Tuesday the Red Sox couldn’t overcome a six-run first inning by the visitors. Frederick never trailed in the game and led by as many as eight runs. Shawn Anderson took the loss in his Salem debut, allowing seven runs on 10 hits and three walks in six innings, fanning four.

On Monday the Sox took a late lead but couldn’t maintain it as the Keys rallied for the win at Haley Toyota Field. Salem fell behind early and only led very briefly in the game, falling after a very successful 5-1 road trip. The Keys blanked the Sox over the last three innings, using shutdown performances from their bullpen’s back end to hold onto the lead. The Sox batted just 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position in the loss.

Down 4-3, Salem jumped into the lead in the bottom of the sixth against Frederick reliever Zeke McGranahan. Bryan Hudson doubled with one out, and Tate Matheny walked with two away. Reliever Mitch Horacek gave up a bouncer by De La Guerra that Horacek threw away into right field as both runners scored, making it a 5-4 lead for Salem.

That advantage was short-lived, however, as the Keys scored three in the seventh and two in the ninth off Salem relievers Gerson Bautista and Adam Lau. Salem starter Matthew Kent took a no-decision, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk in six innings while striking out four. Bautista was saddled with the loss, surrendering three runs on four hits and a walk in two innings.