Blow-Up Innings Cost FredNats Win in Salem Series Finale
May 4, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fredericksburg Nationals News Release
SALEM, VA - The Fredericksburg Nationals (13-13) allowed eight runs in the sixth inning of Sunday's series finale, losing 9-6 to the Salem Red Sox (12-14). The FredNats dropped the series' final four games, their first four-game losing streak of the year.
Heading into the sixth, the FredNats looked destined for a much-needed win. Their starter, Davian Garcia, cruised through five strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits with five strikeouts. The run came in the first, so he finished his outing with four straight zeroes. On the other side, he got some of his best run support all year.
The FredNat bats launched two two-out rallies in the third and fourth innings against Salem's starter Steven Brooks, scoring five total runs in the process. After a Cristhian Vaquero walk in the third, Elijah Nunez slapped a line drive into center field that went under the glove of Salem's center fielder and rolled all the way to the wall. Nunez, sprinting the whole way, scored on a nearly uncontested inside-the-park home run that gave the FredNats a 2-1 lead. The home run was Nunez's first of the year.
In the fourth, Nate Ochoa followed up singles from Kevin Made and Nate Rombach with a screaming shot to right-center field that hit the top of the wall and was called a home run by the base umpire. Ochoa finished his trot with his first home run of the season, a three-run blast that extended the lead 5-1.
Then, things crumbled down in the sixth. Angel Roman, Saturday's scheduled starter, came in a day late after the rainout and massively struggled. The lefty gave up three hits and a hit by pitch, while making his own error in the field. He left after just two outs as Austin Amaral inherited the bases loaded in a 5-3 game. Amaral had struggles of his own, though, with a walk and a single allowed that put Salem ahead 6-5. The next batter, Andrew Musett, blasted his second home run of the game, a three-run shot that punctuated an eight-run inning. With five runs charged to Roman and three charged to Amaral, the Red Sox led 9-5.
The FredNats grabbed a run in the seventh inning but couldn't complete the comeback, going scoreless in the eighth and ninth. Roman (1-2) got the loss, as Griffin Kilander (1-1) got the win.
The FredNats are off on Monday, but will be back in action against the Lynchburg Hillcats on Tuesday at Virginia Credit Union, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05.
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