SALEM, Va. – The dark clouds that surrounded Salem Memorial Ballpark were nothing more than a threat as the rain held off for the series opener for the Salem Red Sox and Down East Wood Ducks.
Salem got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning. After a triple from Cutter Coffey, Luis Ravelo hit a sac fly to make it a 1-0 ballgame.
The Red Sox were solid on the mound at the start. Old Dominion University product Noah Dean got the start. He struck out 5 batters on the night including a three-up, three-down in the second inning. But his night was cut short in the third inning.
That’s when Down East’s bats got going. After back-to-back walks, Ian Moller hit a bases-clearing double into left field to give the Wood Ducks a 2-1 advantage.
More damage came in the 4th inning. Again, with two men on base, JoJo Blackmon sent a rocket to the moon over the right field wall, a three-run home run.
Salem trailed 8-1 entering the ninth inning and continued to show fight. Alexis Hernandez hit a two-run home run to right field. But that was all the Red Sox had to offer. Down East claimed the series opener over Salem, 8-3.