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Salem W 8-3
Garrett Benge, 3B: 3-5, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 K
Ryan Fitzgerald, SS: 1-5, 1 R, 1 K
Devlin Granberg, LF: 3-5, 1 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 K
Keith Curcio, CF: 3-5, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
Kole Cottam, C: 3-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K
Triston Casas, 1B: 0-4, 1 K
Victor Acosta, RF: 2-3, 1 2B
Tanner Nishioka, DH: 2-4, 2 RBI
Enmanuel De Jesus: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 5 K (91 pitches)
Yoan Aybar: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (33 pitches)
Joan Martinez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (13 pitches)
Salem is taking on the Royals affiliated Wilmington Blue Rocks in the opening series of the Carolina League playoffs, and they made an early statement with their bats. Going up against top prospect Daniel Lynch, Salem scored five runs in the first two innings thanks to a huge three-run shot from Granberg in the first and a solo shot from Curcio in the second. Benge was the tablesetter in this game, smacking three extra-base hits on the night including a two-run home run that put an end to any hope of a comeback from Wilmington. Game Two will be Thursday night with Thad Ward getting the ball for Salem.
Lowell L 1-4
Gilberto Jimenez, CF: 1-5, 1 2B, 2 K
Cameron Cannon, 2B: 0-4, 1 K
Nick Decker, RF: 1-3, 2 K
Antoni Flores, SS: 0-4, 2 K
Roldani Baldwin, DH: 0-4, 1 K
Nicholas Northcut, 3B: 1-4, 1 K
Noah Song: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K (55 pitches)
Chris Murphy: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K (57 pitches)
Lowell couldn’t make it a sweep for Red Sox affiliates in the postseason, dropping their first game to the Batavia Muckdogs, affiliated with the Marlins. The Spinners couldn’t get anything going offensively, managing just five hits without drawing a walk. The pitching side did decently well, with Song looking most dominant again in what could be his final start in a couple of years. Murphy was hurt by a big home run, but his strikeout stuff was still there in his three innings of work. Lowell is now on the cusp of elimination in this best-of-three series, and they’ll have Jay Groome on the mound on Thursday.