Early Hickory Offense Propels Crawdads to Win over Red Sox

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CarL Salem Red Sox

Early Hickory Offense Propels Crawdads to Win over Red Sox

June 26, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Salem Red Sox News Release


SALEM, Va. - The Salem Red Sox (28-42, 2-4) gave up six early runs and couldn't mount a comeback, falling 7-2 to the Hickory Crawdads (38-33, 5-1) on Thursday night at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

Hickory's bats came out hot, jumping on Red Sox starter Yhoiker Fajardo in the top of the first. After retiring leadoff man Devin Fitz-Gerald, Fajardo ran into trouble.

Maxton Martin roped a triple off the center field wall and scored one pitch later on an RBI single from Antonis Macias. Beycker Barroso followed with a double, setting the table for Esteban Mejia to drive in another run. Hector Osorio capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Just six batters into the game, a heavy downpour halted the Crawdads' momentum and forced the tarp onto the field. The game entered a 58-minute rain delay just 12 minutes after first pitch.

This stoppage marked the second consecutive Thursday with a rain delay for the Sox.

When play resumed, Fajardo needed just one pitch to finish a strikeout of Ben Hartl and end the top of the first.

Hickory tacked on another run in the second off Fajardo to extend the lead to 4-0. The 18-year-old Red Sox prospect lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs in a losing decision.

Salem got on the board in the bottom of the third. Three straight singles from Karim Ayubi, Fraymi De Leon, and Starlyn Nunez loaded the bases for Boston's No. 14 prospect Justin Gonzales. Gonzales grounded into a double play, but Ayubi scored from third to trim the deficit to 4-1.

The Crawdads answered right back in the fourth with a two-run, three-hit frame. Osorio drove in both runs with a single to center off reliever Adam Bates, pushing the Hickory lead to 6-1.

Originally slated to start for Hickory was 22-year-old David Hagaman, set to make his Single-A debut after being called up from the Arizona Complex League earlier Thursday morning. However, following the rain delay, manager Carlos Maldonado turned to righty Brooks Fowler. Fowler went the first four innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out three in a no decision.

The win went to left-hander Michael Trausch, who threw 2.1 dominant innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit while striking out five.

Osorio's big night continued into the ninth, as he delivered an RBI triple to deep center, his fourth RBI of the game and making the ballgame a 7-1 Hickory lead. He finished 2-for-4 with a triple, four RBIs, and a run scored.

Salem showed a bit of life in the bottom of the ninth. Enddy Azocar singled to lead off the frame, and Karim Ayubi followed with an RBI triple to plate Salem's second run. But that would be all, as the Crawdads closed out the win to take a 2-1 lead in the six-game series.

The Red Sox will look to bounce back and even the series on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with right-hander Ben Hansen set to take the mound for Salem against southpaw Garrett Horn for Hickory.

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