SALEM, Va. – The Salem RidgeYaks (24-35) mounted multiple comebacks Wednesday night but came up one run short in a 6-5 loss to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (27-32) at Carilion Clinic Field.
After a heartbreaking 7-6 loss on Tuesday in the series opener, Salem would see some déjà vu on Wednesday night.
The Yaks grabbed the game's first lead in the third inning when first baseman D'Angelo Ortiz connected on his first home run of his professional career, a solo blast to left field that put the RidgeYaks ahead 1-0.
Fayetteville answered with a three-run fourth inning against starter Barrett Morgan. Waner Luciano tied the game with an RBI single before Arturo Flores drove home the go-ahead run. Kenni Gomez later added an RBI groundout as the Woodpeckers built a 3-1 advantage after four.
The RidgeYaks battled back in the sixth. Anderson Fermin scored on Skylar King's RBI single, cutting the deficit to one. Kleyver Salazar followed with a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Givian Sirvania and tied the game at 3-3. Two batters later, Salem executed a double steal, with Andrews Opata swiping second while King raced home on a throwing error by Woodpeckers catcher Yosweld Vasquez to give the RidgeYaks a 4-3 lead.
Fayetteville responded again in the seventh inning. Camilo Diaz tied the game on a fielder's choice before Xavier Neyens delivered the decisive blow, lining a two-run double to left field that scored Vasquez and Anthony Huezo for a 6-4 Woodpeckers lead.
Woodpeckers’ reliever Ryan Verdugo caught two comebackers in the eighth and ninth innings to steal hits from Salem and double runners off at second base.
Despite falling behind, Salem refused to go away. In the bottom of the ninth, Salazar singled and eventually came around to score when Avinson Pinto ripped an RBI double into left field, trimming the deficit to 6-5. The RidgeYaks left the tying run 90 feet away, and the go-ahead on first base before Verdugo retired Fermin to end the game.
Ortiz finished 1-for-3 with his first home run and an RBI, while King, Salazar, Pinto, Anderson Fermin, Sirvania, and Adonys Guzman each collected a hit. King drove in a run and scored once, while Salazar contributed an RBI and scored a run.
Morgan turned in a quality start, allowing three runs on three hits across five innings while striking out three in a no-decision. Jay Allmer (1-3) allowed three runs in 1.2 innings of work.
The loss extends Salem losing streak to five games and marks the second night in a row Salem falls by one-run. The two clubs continue their six-game series Thursday night at Carilion Clinic Field. It’s a Thirsty Thursday when the Yaks will play as the Salem BeerMongers.
Game Notes:
- Salem played their 18th one-run game this season
- The Yaks are 4-14 in one-run games this year
- D’Angelo Ortiz hit his first professional home run in his 118th career game
- Salem has now lost five straight games, tying the longest losing streak this season (April 14-18)
- After Barrett Morgan had allowed just four earned runs over his last four outings since May 14, the starter allowed three runs off three hits Wednesday night
- Andrews Opata went 0-for-3 snapping his five-game hitting streak
- Opata stole his 29th base of the season, good for second in the Carolina League and third in all of Single-A
- Salem pitchers walked just two batters marking the fewest walks allowed in nine games
- Skylar King tied his career high with two stolen bases
- Joey Gartrell tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball, Gartrell has now tossed three straight outings at Carilion Clinic Field scoreless this season
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