The Salem Red Sox will wrap up their 2025 season this week with a home series against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. The Sox have 6:35 pm games through Saturday and the final game of the season will be Sunday at 1:05 pm.
Salem has been eliminated from the second half pennant race but this is a big series for the Woodpeckers. With five games to play Fayetteville is two games out of first place in the North Division second half standings with a chance to make the playoffs.
Fredricksburg was two games up on both the ‘peckers and Carolina Mudcats after Monday’s results. Carolina is at Fredricksburg for the final homestand, and Fayetteville will be rooting for the Mudcats. If Carolina can catch Fredricksburg this week the Woodpeckers can also move up if they have a good week in Salem. The race may not be decided until Sunday.
Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach has the South Division wrapped up. The Pelicans were nine and a half game ahead of Hickory after Monday’s results. Myrtle Beach also won the first half while Hickory, Charleston and Augusta were separated by just one game with a week to go in the race for second place in the second half.
Salem opened the final series with a rare Monday game on Labor Day. The Sox hurt Fayetteville’s playoff chances with an 8-5 win to open the series. D’Angelo Ortiz was three for four with three runs batted in for the Sox. Nicolas De La Cruz picked up the win with two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief and Eybersson Polanco earned his fourth save.
With the win Salem improved to 27-34 in the second half. The Sox dropped five of six in Kannapolis last week in their final road trip of the season. Salem is 53-72 for the entire season with five games to play.
This week’s final homestand includes Roanoke College Football Night tonight, Thursday. Friday is Fan Appreciation Night, Saturday is First Responders Night and Sunday afternoon wraps up the season with a Bark in the Park.
Boston made two moves involving the Red Sox last week. Slugging outfielder Justin Gonzales was promoted to High-A Greenville while shortstop Anderson Fermin comes to Salem from the Florida Complex League.
