SALEM, Va. – The Salem RidgeYaks (51-65, 26-25) nearly erased a seven-run deficit Friday night, but their comeback bid came up just short in a 7-5 loss to the Wilson Warbirds (62-53, 26-23) at Carilion Clinic Field.
After falling behind by nine runs a night ago and nearly completing a monstrous comeback, the Yaks once again had a Cinderella opportunity, but the clock struck midnight for a second straight night
Wilson jumped on Salem starter Leighton Finley early, scoring once in the first inning before putting together a six-run second to take a 7-0 lead.
Handelfry Encarnacion opened the scoring with his 12th home run of the season, sending a fly ball over the right-center-field wall in the first inning. José Anderson then delivered a two-run double in the second before Kyle Jones reached on a fielder's choice that brought Anderson home. Encarnacion followed with a two-run single, and Juan Ortuno added another run with a groundout to give Wilson its seven-run cushion.
Salem finally broke through in the fourth.
Wills Maginnis scored on a wild pitch from Wilson starter Tyler Renz, and Franklin Primera came home moments later when Renz's pickoff attempt sailed wide. Adonys Guzman then ripped an RBI double into center field to bring the RidgeYaks within four at 7-3.
The RidgeYaks continued to chip away in the fifth. Anderson Fermin scored on an RBI single from Primera, cutting the deficit to 7-4.
Guzman brought Salem within two in the sixth, launching his seventh home run of the season to center field.
The RidgeYaks had opportunities to complete the comeback but could not push another run across in the final three innings.
Guzman and Primera each collected two hits to lead Salem's eight-hit attack, while Fermin also finished with two hits. Guzman's night included a double, a home run and two RBIs.
After allowing seven runs, five earned, over 4.2 innings, Finley was charged with the loss. The Salem bullpen kept Wilson off the scoreboard over the final 4.1 innings, with Carson Revay and Cam Padgett combining to allow just three hits and no runs. Padgett worked three scoreless innings and did not surrender a hit.
Wilson starter Tyler Renz earned the win despite allowing four runs over 4.2 innings. Diustin Mayorquin recorded the final 4.1 innings to earn the save, allowing one run on three hits.
The RidgeYaks and Warbirds will meet once again on Saturday night at Carilion Clinic Field, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Boston’s number seven prospect Sadbiel Delzine will take the mound for the Yaks. It’s Military Appreciation Night at the ballpark and the first 750 fans through the gates will receive an Allen Lawrence Hall of Fame Bobblehead.
Game Notes
- Salem fell behind by seven or more runs for the second night in a row
- The Yaks scored the ballgames final five runs over the final six innings
- Carson Revay and Cam Padgett combined to toss a combined 4.1 scoreless from the arm farm allowing just one hit
- Revay made his Single-A debut after signing a UDFA contract with Boston on July 17
- Padgett also made his home debut at Carilion Clinic Field after signing a UDFA on August 5
- Adonys Guzman’s sixth inning home run was his seventh of the season
- Salem has now hit 99 home runs this season as a team, the second-most in a single-season in the modern day era (since 2005)
- The Yaks need five more home runs to break the modern day single-season home run record (103 in 2021)
- Salem has also now homered in seven straight games since August 14
- The RidgeYaks have seen now three home run streaks of seven plus games this season
- In 22 games against the Warbirds this season, Salem has scored 147 runs in those games averaging 6.68 runs per game against Wilson this season
- With the loss and Fayetteville win, Salem moves to 4.5 games out of first place with 15 games to play
- Josue Brito went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to five games since August 15
- Guzman also extended his on-base streak to eight games while Wills Maginnis sees his streak up to seven games
- In two games played this week Guzman is 5-for-7 (.712) with four RBI and an impressive 2.086 OPS
- Franklin Primera went 2-for-4 and his now hitting a Carolina League best .429 over his 16 games in August with 15 RBI and a league leading 1.293 OPS in August
- In four games this week, Primera leads the team with seven hits and his hitting to a .412 clip with a team leading nine RBI
- In four games this week, Salem has scored a Single-A best 44 runs while also seeing a .340 batting average this week which is second-best in Single-A since Monday
- Leighton Finley went at least four innings for the 15th time this season