SALEM, Va. – The Salem BeerMongers (24-36) faced early deficits and fell to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (28-32), 12-5 on Thursday night at Carilion Clinic Field.
After dropping a pair of one-run ballgames to open the series, Salem dug themselves into an early deficit in game three of the six game series.
Fayetteville jumped on the board in the opening inning when Xavier Neyens lined an RBI single to right field, scoring Anthony Huezo for a 1-0 lead just seven pitches in.
The BeerMongers answered immediately in the bottom half. Skylar King crossed the plate after Andruw Musett reached on a throwing error by Fayetteville starter Adam Shoemaker, evening the score at 1-1.
The Woodpeckers regained the lead in the third inning with an aggressive baserunning play. With Neyens stealing second base, German Ramirez broke for home and scored to give Fayetteville a 2-1 advantage.
Fayetteville added two more runs in the fifth inning. Hector Salas ripped an RBI double to center field that scored Kenni Gomez before Huezo followed with an RBI single to right, extending the lead to 4-1.
The game opened up in the sixth as the Woodpeckers sent nine batters to the plate and scored four more times. Salas delivered a two-run single, Neyens drew a bases-loaded walk, and Waner Luciano added a sacrifice fly as Fayetteville stretched its advantage to 8-1.
Salem brought eight hitters of their own up to the dish in the bottom of the sixth.
The BeerMongers entered the frame with zero hits to their name. That was until Louis Andujar dropped a double down the right field line setting the table for Avinson Pinto.
The Yaks shortstop came thrown with an RBI single. D'Angelo Ortiz dropped a pop-up into right field, plating both Andujar and Pinto. Later in the inning, Ilan Fernandez lined an RBI double to center, trimming the deficit to 8-5 and energizing the home crowd.
The Woodpeckers created separation in the ninth inning with a pair of home runs. Camilo Diaz launched a three-run homer to left-center field, his sixth of the season, before Carlos Cauro followed later in the inning with a solo blast to center to cap the scoring at 12-5.
Salem was limited to just four hits but made them count. Fernandez finished 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, Ortiz drove in two runs, and Pinto added an RBI single. Louis Andujar and Fernandez each collected doubles for the BeerMongers.
On the mound, Leighton Finley (3-2) took the loss after allowing four runs over 4.1 innings. Nicolas De La Cruz was charged with four runs while recording two outs, and Wuilliams Rodriguez surrendered three runs across three innings of relief.
Fayetteville's offense totaled 12 hits and drew seven walks. Salas led the way with a 2-for-4 night and three RBIs, while Neyens drove in two runs and scored once. Huezo added two hits and an RBI as the Woodpeckers have won three straight games and claimed a share of the six-game set.
The loss continues Salem losing skid, as the Yaks have now lost six straight games for the first time this season. The series continues Friday night as Brady Tygart makes his first start at Carilion Clinic Field in 296 days on a rehab assignment from the High-A Greenville Drive.
Game Notes:
- The Yaks are now 15-15 in home games this season
- The RidgeYaks are 3-11 over their last 14 games since May 27
- Leighton Finley recorded his first start since April 14 where he failed to go five innings
- Wuilliams Rodriguez has also now allowed five earned runs over his last eight outings since May 15. All five have come off home runs, two by Pedro Ibarguen on Sunday and the three-run shot from Camilo Diaz in the ninth
- Salem has scored in the sixth inning every night this week, striking for 12 of their 16 total runs in the sixth inning alone this series
- Salem recorded four hits in the ballgame, all of which coming in the sixth inning
- Salem’s top four hitters in the lineup went a combined 0-for-15
- Ilan Fernandez went 1-for-2 to extend his hitting streak to four games
- Andruw Musett reached base on a fourth inning hit by pitch to extend his on-base streak to eight games
- Since June 1, Salem pitchers have now struck out 98 batters across 79.2 IP, good for fourth most in Single-A
- Skylar King reached base in the first inning with a hit by pitch and has now reached in 22 of his last 28 games since May 3
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