Woodbridge, Va. –– The Salem Red Sox offense awakened on Thursday night in Woodbridge; they exploded for 16 hits and capitalized on too many Potomac mistakes in a 10-3 series-opening victory. Salem, which managed just 11 hits in four games combined in Kinston, broke out in a big way with a helping hand from Potomac.
Six of the nine Sox had multi-hit games, headlined by Shannon Wilkerson and Dan Butler. Wilkerson had two hits, a three-run homer and four RBIs, while Butler went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs driven in.
The Nationals (28-39) committed three more errors to run their league-leading total to 83, and the Sox (30-37) cashed them in for four unearned runs en route to just their tenth win in their last 40 games.
Potomac jumped out to a lead in the first inning on Jeff Kobernus’s second home run of the year, but it would not last long.
In the third, Salem got to Nationals starter Evan Bronson. Consecutive hits from Michael Almanzar and Derrik Gibson set the table for Wilkerson’s blast to right center field that made it 3-1.
Potomac manufactured a run in the fifth to trim the lead to one: Sandy Leon led off the frame with a double, moved to third on J.R. Higley’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Jose Lozada’s sacrifice fly.
But Salem scored in each of the final four innings. In the sixth, Wiflred Pichardo tripled to start a rally and was plated by a Gibson single. After a Zach Gentile walk in the seventh, a pair of doubles – from Kolbrin Vitek and Butler – got the Sox two more runs.
Things unraveled for Potomac in the final two frames. Three errors led to four more Salem tallies that put the game out of reach and secured the opener for the visitors.
Potomac sends Trevor Holder to the mound Friday night at 7:05 p.m. against Ryan Pressly.
The broadcast can be heard beginning at 6:40 p.m.
Will Flemming is the Broadcast Director for the Potomac Nationals.
