Enddy Azocar Shines in Home Debut as Sox Slug Past Lynchburg, 8-3 on Tuesday Night

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CarL Salem Red Sox

Enddy Azocar Shines in Home Debut as Sox Slug Past Lynchburg, 8-3 on Tuesday Night

June 3, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Salem Red Sox News Release


SALEM, Va. - The Salem Red Sox (21-29) exploded for eight unanswered runs behind a pair of home runs and 12 total hits to take down the Lynchburg Hillcats (31-21), 8-3 on Tuesday night at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

After trailing 2-0 early, Salem rallied with a run in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in the sixth, and a four-run outburst in the eighth to cruise to a series-opening win in round two of the Battle of 460.

Right-hander Austin Ehrlicher made his sixth start of the season and faced immediate pressure from the Hillcats. Leadoff man Tommy Hawke doubled down the left field line, then swiped third for his minor league-leading 48th stolen base. Two batters later, Nick Mitchell lofted a fly ball to center field that popped out of Justin Gonzales' glove, allowing Hawke to score and give Lynchburg a 1-0 lead.

The Red Sox showed signs of life in the bottom half of the first, but aggressive baserunning turned opportunity into disappointment. Gonzales opened with a single, and Yoeilin Cespedes followed with one of his own. However, Gonzales was gunned down at third by Mitchell's throw from center. Moments later, Andruw Musett smoked a double down the left field line, but Cespedes was thrown out at the plate on a relay from Hawke to Welbyn Francisca to Bennett Thompson, ending the inning with no runs scored.

Lynchburg tacked on a second run in the fourth, again courtesy of Hawke, who lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Until that point, Hillcats starter Braylon Doughty was dominant. He retired eight straight Red Sox batters and threw 33 of his first 40 pitches for strikes. But Salem's bats finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth.

Musett singled with one out, followed by a base hit from Kleyver Salazar to put two aboard. That brought up 18-year-old Enddy Azocar, making his home debut after being called up to Salem last week. Azocar didn't waste time as he launched the first pitch he saw into center field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Musett to cut the deficit to 2-1.

In the fifth, Salem took the lead for good. Natanael Yuten reached on an error, Fraymi De Leon singled, and Gonzales ripped a first-pitch fastball into center field to drive in both runners, putting the Sox ahead 3-2.

Azocar wasn't finished. In the sixth, now facing left-hander Donovan Zsak, Azocar sat on a 2-0 fastball and crushed it over the left-field wall for a solo home run - the first of his professional career and extending the lead to 4-2. The long ball came in Azocar's 50th career minor league game.

On the mound, the Salem bullpen shined. Ehrlicher went 3.1 innings before handing things off to Adam Bates, who tossed 2.2 scoreless innings and earned the win. Joe Vogatsky added 2.1 more shutout frames, and Eybersson Polanco recorded the final two outs in the ninth to seal the win.

The Sox delivered the knockout blow in the eighth inning against reliever Luis Flores. Cespedes worked a leadoff walk, and after two quick outs, a balk moved him to second. Azocar delivered again, punching a two-out RBI single to right field for his third RBI of the game. Starlyn Nunez was hit by a pitch, and Frederik Jimenez followed by demolishing a hanging breaking ball over the left-field fence for a three-run homer, capping a four-run frame that made it 8-2 Salem.

Lynchburg got one run back in the ninth on a Francisca RBI double, but it was too little, too late.

Doughty was tagged with the loss, his fourth of the season, after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits across five innings. Salem's bullpen combined for 5.2 innings of one-run ball in the win.

The Red Sox and Hillcats continue their six-game series on Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. from Carilion Clinic Field. Steven Brooks is scheduled to take the mound for Salem as they look to take a 2-0 series lead in this latest installment of the Battle of 460.

Check out the Salem Red Sox Statistics



Carolina League Stories from June 3, 2025


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