The Salem RidgeYaks will get a fresh start today when the second half of the Carolina League split season begins. The Yaks will open the second half at Fredricksburg before returning home for a six game series with Myrtle Beach next Tuesday, June 23.
Fredricksburg, a Washington Nationals farm team, has been the best team in the Carolina League in the first half, hands down. The Fred-Nats are 44-19 coming into the week, a full 10 games ahead of second place Wilson in the CL’s North Division. Charleston is leading the South Division at 36-27, and that would be eight games behind Fredricksburg in the North.
While Fredricksburg has wrapped up the North Division first half, and a spot in the Mills Cup playoffs, the South was still up for grabs with three games to go. Hickory was just two games behind Charleston after taking four of six from the RiverDogs in Charleston last week, and Augusta was only three out and still in the hunt. This week the first half wraps up with Charleston at Wilson, Hickory at home against Columbia and Augusta hosting the Hill City Howlers from Lynchburg.
Salem was 24-38 coming into the week, 19 and a half games behind Fredricksburg. The Yaks were swept in five games, with one rainout, in their home series with Fayetteville last week. The five losses ran their losing streak to eight straight games.
On Sunday infielder Stanley Tucker was assigned to the Portland Sea Dogs, the second time Tucker has been promoted this season. Tucker was hitting .304 in his 102 at bats over two stints with Salem this season.
The Sox are hoping for a good start to the second half. They actually won six of their first seven to open the season but were 19 games under .500 from that point through last week’s home series. Several of Salem’s better players were promoted in the first half, which is not unusual for minor league baseball.
Next week’s promotions include at 12:05 pm start for “Camp Day” on Tuesday, Bark in the Park on Thursday and “Hellbenders Night,” celebrating Southwest Virginia Wildlife, on Friday, June 26, with fireworks to follow. The popular Zooperstars are back on Saturday, June 27.
