The Salem RidgeYaks have a huge six-game series this week when they host the Fayetteville Woodpeckers at Salem Memorial Ballpark. Salem has a chance to take the lead in the second half standings in the Carolina League’s North Division.
The Yaks came into the week two and a half games behind the ‘Peckers in the North standings with an 18-18 second half record. Fayetteville comes to town at 20-15 but Salem can take the lead by winning five or six games in this week’s series. Even four wins would pull the RidgeYaks to within a half game of the lead.
The series opened Tuesday but results were too late for publication. The Yaks are coming off a six game series in Kannapolis that saw them go 2-4. Meanwhile, Fayetteville was taking five of six from visiting Hill City (Lynchburg) to pass the RidgeYaks in the standings and open a two-and-a-half-game lead.
After a Tuesday rainout last week in Kannapolis the Yaks played a doubleheader on Wednesday, July 29. Salem won the first game, 7-2, as Staryn Nunez and Louis Andujar homered but the Cannon Ballers took the second game, 1-0, spoiling a solid pitching performance by Jason Gilman. The Yaks’ lefty allowed just three hits in a complete game outing and the only run scored by the Ballers came on a fourth inning sacrifice fly.
Salem bounced back to win Thursday’s game, 6-2. Andrews Opata hit his eighth home run of the season and Adonys Guzman had two hits and drove in two runs. Brady Tygart got the win on the mound, pitching five innings and allowing just one run.
The series went downhill from there for the Yaks, as they lost the next three. Kannapolis won 6-2 on Friday, 8-5 on Saturday and 8-4 on Sunday.
Salem hopes to bounce back this week with first place on the line. Promotions include Toy Story Night on Friday with post-game fireworks, Outdoors Night Saturday with a Mac the Yak bobble-head going to the first 750 fans and kids run the bases following Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. start.
In other Yaks news, several former Salem players found new homes at the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Former Salem shortstop Marcelo Mayer was traded to the San Francisco Giants for left-handed pitcher Erik Miller and outfielder Carlos Gutierrez. Enddy Azocar, an outfielder who started this season in Salem, was traded to Baltimore in a big trade that sent catcher Adley Rutschman to Boston.
Also Jojo Ingrassia, who pitched 21 games in Salem with a 3-1 record and a 1.85 ERA in 2024, was traded to the Tigers and Tyler Uberstine, who was 4-4 in 14 games here in 2022, was dealt to the Braves.
