SALEM, Va. – The Salem RidgeYaks (24-38) jumped out to an early lead but could not contain the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (30-32), falling 9-5 Sunday afternoon at Carilion Clinic Field.
Salem struck first in the opening inning without recording a hit. Avinson Pinto walked and Andrews Opata singled before a balk by Fayetteville starter Rafael Gonzalez scored Pinto to give the RidgeYaks a 1-0 lead. Moments later, Kleyver Salazar lifted a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Opata and extending the advantage to 2-0.
Fayetteville answered immediately in the second. Arturo Flores launched a solo home run to left-center field before Hector Salas came around to score on a throwing error by catcher Adonys Guzman, tying the game at 2-2.
The RidgeYaks regained control in the bottom half of the inning. Frederik Jimenez scored on a double by Givian Sirvania, and Sirvania later crossed the plate himself when the ball was misplayed in left field by Salas, giving Salem a 4-2 lead.
That advantage proved short-lived. Carlos Cauro connected on a two-run homer in the fourth inning to knot the game at 4-4, setting the stage for Fayetteville's decisive rally.
The Woodpeckers took the lead for good in the fifth. Waner Luciano drove in German Ramirez with a sacrifice fly before Flores added an RBI single and Salas followed with a run-scoring base hit, pushing Fayetteville ahead 7-4.
Fayetteville added two more runs in the sixth inning when Ramirez delivered an RBI double and Anthony Huezo followed with a run-scoring double of his own to stretch the lead to 9-4.
Salem managed one final run in the ninth. Opata singled through the right side to score Jimenez, but the RidgeYaks could get no closer as Fayetteville secured the 9-5 victory.
Opata paced the Salem offense with a 2-for-3 afternoon, two RBIs, and a run scored. Sirvania added two hits, including his RBI double, while Guzman and Andujar each collected a hit.
Yermain Ruiz (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits over 3.1 innings of relief. Joey Gartrell provided 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out two. Fayetteville reliever Ryan Mathiesen (4-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings, while Aubrey Smith recorded the four-inning save.
The RidgeYaks finished with seven hits but stranded eight runners and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Fayetteville collected 10 hits and scored nine runs despite going just 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The RidgeYaks were swept in the five-game series against Fayetteville. Salem’s losing streak extends to eight games, and the club now hits the road for a six-game series against the Fredericksburg Nationals beginning Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.
Game Notes:
• Salem has been swept in a week-long series for the first time since June 7-12, 2022 vs. Charleston
• The Yaks are now 15-17 in home games this season
• The RidgeYaks are 3-13 over their last 16 games since May 27
• Salem’s losing streak extends to eight games since June 5
• Avinson Pinto hit in the leadoff spot for the first time this season and went 1-for-4, extending his season-long hitting streak to six games
• Pinto finished the series 6-for-18 (.333) in four games with three RBI
• Kleyver Salazar drew a ninth-inning walk to extend his on-base streak to 11 games since May 27
• Andrews Opata went 2-for-3 with an RBI in his team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the season
• Yermain Ruiz allowed a career-high seven runs in the losing decision
• Joey Gartrell tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball. Gartrell has now thrown four straight scoreless outings at Carilion Clinic Field this season
• Gartrell went five scoreless innings this week in two outings against Fayetteville, allowing just one hit
• Givian Sirvania recorded a multi-hit effort and finished the series hitting .375 across three games against the Woodpeckers
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