RidgeYaks Explode for 12 Runs in Series-Opening Victory over Delmarva
CarL Salem RidgeYaks

RidgeYaks Explode for 12 Runs in Series-Opening Victory over Delmarva

Published on May 5, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


SALEM, Va. - The Salem RidgeYaks (13-15) saw their offense surge on Tuesday morning at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark en route to a 12-4 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds (10-18) in the opener of a six-game series.

Salem returned home after dropping three straight to end the week at Wilson, as the Yaks dropped the series to Wilson last week.

The quest to get back in the win column started with Myles Patton on the hill. The southpaw dealt five innings in back-to-back starts for the first time in his pro career and recorded five strikeouts after sitting down nine of the first 10 Shorebird hitters.

Salem opened the scoring in the bottom of the third thanks to a Luke Heyman sacrifice fly, scoring D'Angelo Ortiz to give the Yaks an early 1-0 lead.

Delmarva responded with their lone bright spot in the game, which was a two-out, bases-clearing double off the bat of Edwin Amparo to give Delmarva a 3-1 lead in the middle of the fourth inning.

Ortiz struck for his second hit of the game, and at the time the team's second hit, which came on a high-chopping grounder over the head of third baseman Jose Perez, scoring both Kleyver Salazar and Ty Hodge to tie the game at 3-3 after four innings.

The Yaks took the lead for good in the fifth when Enddy Azocar teed off on the fourth pitch of the inning for a leadoff solo home run off reliever Adrian Heredia to left field.

The very next batter, Heyman, also went yard to complete the back end of the back-to-back home runs with his third homer in his last six games.

Salem led 5-3 after the pair of homers and extended the lead to 8-3 at the end of the fifth thanks to a Salazar RBI walk, a wild pitch, and a double play bringing home an eighth run.

Salazar added a second RBI in the sixth with a sacrifice fly and a third RBI with another sacrifice fly in the eighth to bring the game to 11-3. Salazar finished the game 0-for-0 at the dish with three walks and two sacrifice flies.

The RidgeYaks tacked on one final run in the eighth off a wild pitch, and an Amparo RBI single in the ninth inning brought the game to its final score of 12-4.

Patton (3-0) earned the win for his five innings of work, allowing three hits and three runs with five strikeouts.

Jacob Mayers also came out of the bullpen for Salem, tossing three innings of scoreless and hitless baseball with six strikeouts in a no-decision.

Heredia (1-1) took the loss for Delmarva, as the bullpen arm went just 0.1 innings, allowing two hits, five runs, and four walks in the losing decision.

The series continues on Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. when Salem and Delmarva match up in Game 2 of the six-game series. Southpaw Ethan Walker, a native of Salem, will make his first pro ball start as the RidgeYaks look to take a two-games-to-none lead in the series.

Game Notes:

Salem has now scored double digits in seven games this season

The 12 runs tie the second-most Salem has scored in a game this season

The Yaks are now 5-1 in series openers this season

Azocar and Heyman's back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning marked Salem's first back-to-back home run situation since Kleyver Salazar and Starlyn Nunez did it on May 8, 2025, at Fayetteville

Azocar's homer was his fifth of the season, giving him sole possession of Salem's team home run lead

Myles Patton went five innings in his second straight start

Patton earned his third win of the season, which is a new team high

Jacob Mayers has now hurled scoreless baseball over his last 11.1 innings across his last three outings

Salem hitters drew 13 walks, a new season high for the Yaks

Andrew Opata went 0-for-1 with an RBI and a career-high four walks

Kleyver Salazar went 0-for-0 with two runs, two sacrifice flies, and three walks

Check out the Salem RidgeYaks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 5, 2026


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