RidgeYaks Slug Three Homers in 9-3 Win over Augusta
CarL Salem RidgeYaks

RidgeYaks Slug Three Homers in 9-3 Win over Augusta

Published on July 22, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


SALEM, Va. - The Salem RidgeYaks (39-52, 14-12) scored the game's final five runs and belted three home runs on their way to a 9-3 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets (50-42, 15-11) on Wednesday night at Carilion Clinic Field. The win evens the series off at one apiece and gives the Yaks their third win in last four games.

After Augusta struck first on an sacrifice fly in the opening inning, and a Cody Miller RBI single in the third, Salem answered with a two-out rally in the third. Ilan Fernandez and Skylar King opened the frame with back-to-back hits before Kleyver Salazar launched a three-run homer to left-center field, giving the RidgeYaks their first lead of the night at 3-2.

It was Salazar's eighth homer of the season and second long ball in the last three games.

The RidgeYaks added another run in the fourth when Louis Andujar doubled and later scored on D'Angelo Ortiz's RBI single to stretch the advantage to 4-2.

Augusta trimmed the deficit to one in the sixth on an RBI groundout, but Salem responded in the seventh. King worked a one out walk before Andrews Opata doubled into left field to plate the first run of the inning. Salazar followed on the very next pitch with an RBI single to center, extending the RidgeYaks' lead to 6-3.

The RidgeYaks put the game away in the eighth with a barrage of home runs. Andujar opened the inning by blasting a solo homer to left-center before Fernandez capped the scoring with a two-run shot, pushing the lead to 9-3.

Salazar finished 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, while Andujar went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored. Fernandez added two hits, including his fourth homer of the season, while Opata collected a double and an RBI. Salem finished with 11 hits and went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Christian Foutch allowed two earned runs over 3.2 innings in the start before Nicolas De La Cruz (4-3) earned the victory with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. Yermain Ruiz closed out the final four innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out three to record his first save of the season.

With the win and a loss from Fayetteville, the Yaks regain sole possession of first place in the Carolina League North Division.

The RidgeYaks look to spark a winning straight when the six-game series resume on Thursday night at Carilion Clinic Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. It will be a battle of southpaws as Jason Gilman makes the start for Salem against Landon Beidelschies for Augusta.

Game Notes:

Salem has now won three of their last four games and 10 of their last 15 games

Kleyver Salazar hit his eighth home run of the season and his second three-run shot in the last three games

The baseball traveled 429 feet marking the longest home run hit by any RidgeYak at Carilion Clinic Field this season

Salazar leads the Carolina League with a .484 batting average (15-for-31) over his last eight games since July 6, in that stretch, the catcher has seen 12 RBI, five extra base hits and a league leading 1.330 OPS over that stretch

Salazar is hitting .700 over his last three games with seven RBI and a 2.327 OPS since Sunday

Louis Andujar lifted his fourth home run of the season; all four home runs have come in his last 16 games since June 27

After recording just one RBI, one stolen base, and batting .095 through his first 20 games in Single-A Salem, Andujar is hitting .349 (22-for-63) with 17 RBI, four homers, and a 1.091 OPS over his last 16 games since June 27

Ilan Fernandez also crushed his fourth home run of the season in the eighth inning

It marked Fernandez's first career home run at Carilion Clinic Field and his third long ball in the month of July (12 games played)

Salem has now homered in nine straight ballgames since July 9 and has seen 23 total home runs over their last 17 games since June 30

The nine game home run streak is the longest for Salem since an 11-game home run streak in June of 2022

Since July 2, Salem has won 10 of their last 15 games played, the Yaks leads the Carolina League since that stretch with a .297 average, 112 runs (leads Single-A), 157 hits (leads Single-A), and 65 extra-base hits over their last 15

Yermain Ruiz worked four innings for his first save since July 22 in the FCL

Ruiz has now gone four innings in each of his last three outings and has gone at least three innings in each of his last eight outings since May 29

Check out the Salem RidgeYaks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 22, 2026


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