SALEM, Va. – The Salem RidgeYaks (24-37) left the game-tying run on second base and the game-winning run on first base in a 4-3 loss to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (29-32) on Saturday night at Carilion Clinic Field.
Despite outhitting the Woodpeckers 10-6 and striking out 16 Fayetteville hitters, the RidgeYaks were unable to complete the comeback as Salem dropped its 15th one-run game this season.
Fayetteville manufactured the game's first run in the second inning. Camilo Diaz walked and moved into scoring position thanks to a Carlos Cauro single. It was at this point the Woodpeckers executed a double steal. As Cauro swiped second base, Diaz broke for home and slid in safely as Starlyn Nunez fumbled the baseball to give Fayetteville a 1-0 advantage.
Salem starter Brady Tygart settled in after the early run, striking out four over 2.1 innings while allowing just one hit. The right-hander made his first appearance at Carilion Clinic Field since August 20, 2025.
The Woodpeckers extended their lead in the fifth inning against reliever Jacob Mayers. Cauro opened the frame with a single before Yosweld Vasquez lined a run-scoring double into center field, bringing home Cauro and pushing the Fayetteville lead to 2-0.
The RidgeYaks immediately answered in the bottom half.
Andruw Musett, who reached base three times in the game, started the rally by ripping a single. After advancing into scoring position, Musett raced home when Anderson Fermin drilled a line-drive double into right field. The RBI two-bagger cut the deficit to 2-1 and energized the Salem dugout.
Mayers kept Salem within striking distance from there, turning in the strongest outing of his pro career. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters across 3.2 innings while allowing just one run and one hit, repeatedly overpowering Fayetteville hitters to give the RidgeYaks a chance to rally.
That opportunity arrived in the seventh.
Avinson Pinto opened the inning with a single and later advanced into scoring position. Musett followed with a single, and Fermin reached to load the bases. With one out, Ilan Fernandez hit a ground ball to shortstop Xavier Neyens. Fayetteville appeared poised to turn a routine double play, but a throwing error by second baseman Camilo Diaz allowed chaos to unfold. Pinto scored easily, Musett also crossed the plate, and Fernandez reached first safely as Salem suddenly moved in front, 3-2.
The lead, however, lasted only an inning.
In the top of the eighth, Anthony Huezo tied the game with a leadoff home run off Adam Bates. The Woodpeckers added the game-winning run off a fielder’s choice from Hector Salas, putting Fayetteville back in front, 4-3.
Salem continued to battle offensively. The RidgeYaks finished with 10 hits, including multi-hit efforts from Musett, Kleyver Salazar, Adonys Guzman, and Pinto. Musett went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk, while Guzman collected a single and double. Salazar added two hits, and Pinto scored once while recording a pair of singles.
The RidgeYaks put the tying run aboard in the ninth inning when Pinto singled and Musett worked a walk. Salem had the tying and winning runs aboard with no outs for the bottom of the lineup. Fayetteville closer Jesus Carrera retired the next three hitters to secure his second save of the season.
Salem's pitching staff recorded 16 strikeouts overall, matching one of its highest totals of the year. Tygart struck out four, Mayers added nine, Adam Bates fanned two, and Griffin Kilander recorded one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.
The two clubs wrap up their five-game series Sunday afternoon at Carilion Clinic Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. when Cole Tolbert makes the start. Salem’s losing streak has reached seven games as the RidgeYaks have been held winless since last Thursday.
Game Notes:
- The Yaks are now 15-16 in home games this season, the first time Salem has been under .500 at home this year
- The RidgeYaks are 3-12 over their last 15 games since May 27
- Salem’s losing streak extends to seven games since June 5
- Jacob Mayers struck out a career-high nine batters over 3.2 innings of work
- Salem pitchers fanned 16 combined, good for their highest total since May 9 vs. Delmarva and their third-highest single-game total this season
- Salem is now 4-15 in one-run ballgames this season
- Since June 1, Salem pitchers have struck out 114 batters across 88.2 IP, good for the fifth-most in Single-A
- Avinson Pinto went 2-for-4 at the dish to extend his season-long hitting streak to five games
- Pinto continues his hot ways and is now 5-for-14 (.357) with three RBI in four games played against Fayetteville this week
- Kleyver Salazar went 2-for-4 to extend his on-base streak to 10 games since May 27
- Andruw Musett also extended his on-base streak to nine games with a 2-for-3 night
- Adonys Guzman is 4-for-12 (.333) in this series with two extra-base hits
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