Keys Pitcher Hits Home Run in Contest
FREDERICK, MD – Behind 15 hits and three home runs, the Salem Red Sox soundly defeated the Frederick Keys by a score of 14-4.
In the loss, the Keys potentially made history as a pitcher hit a home run in the contest. Travis Adair, a position player, was called upon to pitch in the seventh inning and in his following at-bat, he hit a home run. With the designated hitter used exclusively in the Carolina League, Adair’s home run was an extremely rare occurrence and the highlight in an otherwise frustrating night.
Adair pitched 2 and 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs in an atypical appearance on the mound.
The 14 runs allowed tied a season high for runs allowed which was set on July 5th against the Potomac Nationals.
In the loss, the Keys fell behind early 3-0 in the first inning, 8-0 in the fourth, and 12-1 in the sixth, building a seemingly insurmountable deficit early on.
Starting pitcher Scott Copeland was chased from the game early as Salem tagged him for six earned runs in 3 and 2/3 innings, as he allowed ten hits and two home runs.
Salem started the scoring binge with three runs in the first, as Shannon Wilkerson hit a two-run home run to break the ice and put Salem on top 2-0. The next batter, Travis Shaw, launched his 15th home run of the year to put the Red Sox up 3-0.
It was all downhill from there.
After scoring twice in the third to go up 5-0, Salem added three more runs in the next inning to chase Copeland out of the game and go up 8-0. With two outs and runners on first and second, Xander Bogaerts hit a single to score the first run in the inning and then a single from Michael Almanzar brought two more runners home to give Salem a more than comfortable eight-run lead in the fourth inning.
Salem would score six more times in the evening, including a Sean Coyle three-run home run in the sixth that gave the Red Sox a 12-1 lead.
After Adair’s incredibly rare home run as a pitcher, Michael Mosby hit a two-run home run later on in the inning, but that would be it for the Keys offense as they were limited to just five hits on the night.
The Keys will try and split the series in tomorrow’s Super Splash Day matinee which will start at noon. LHP Trent Howard (2-5, 4.44 ERA) will take on RHP Matt Barnes (5-3, 3.34 ERA).
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