RidgeYaks Topple Fredericksburg 12-2 in Series Opener
CarL Salem RidgeYaks

RidgeYaks Topple Fredericksburg 12-2 in Series Opener

Published on April 21, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Salem RidgeYaks News Release


SALEM, Va. - Behind 12 runs on 14 hits, the Salem RidgeYaks (9-7) defeated the first-place Fredericksburg Nationals (10-6), 12-2, on Tuesday night at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

The Yaks returned home after a six-game road trip to Hickory, North Carolina, where they dropped five of six against the Crawdads. Salem welcomed in-state foe Fredericksburg for the opener of a six-game series.

Last season, Salem and Fredericksburg met 23 times. Of those meetings, 18 were decided by three runs or fewer, and all but one were decided by four runs or fewer. But the 2026 opener told a different story, as the Yaks rolled to a double-digit victory.

Salem struck first in the bottom of the third inning behind RBI singles from Skylar King and Kleyver Salazar, along with an RBI double from Andrews Opata, to take a 4-0 lead.

The fourth inning saw Salem post another crooked number. Enddy Azocar doubled down the left-field line, and Luke Heyman brought him home to make it 6-0.

Fredericksburg got on the board in the fifth on a solo home run by Nick Peoples, but Salem responded in the bottom half as Ortiz delivered a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 8-1.

With the lead entering the sixth, Salem added four more runs to open the floodgates. Azocar went yard for his team-leading third home run of the season. Southpaw Jared Beck struggled to find the strike zone, issuing four walks, including RBI walks to Stanley Tucker and Ortiz. Starlyn Nunez added the final run with an RBI single down the third-base line.

Salem scored all 12 runs between the third and sixth innings and created additional opportunities with five stolen bases.

On the mound, Leighton Finley (1-0) earned his first professional win, tossing five innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts.

Leuris Portorreal (0-1) took the loss for the Nationals. The starter went four innings, allowing nine hits and six earned runs.

The RidgeYaks pitching staff of Finley, Griffin Kilander and Gilbel Galvan combined for 12 strikeouts while allowing just one earned run.

The RidgeYaks and Nationals continue the series Wednesday morning with the first of three morning starts for Salem in 2026. It's an Education Day game, with first pitch scheduled for 10:05 a.m. Left-hander Myles Patton is set to make his first professional start for the Yaks.

Game Notes:

Salem's 12 runs are the second-most it has scored in a game this season (trailing only 16 on April 12 vs. Wilson)

The total also marks the most runs Salem has scored against Fredericksburg since a 14-2 win on Sept. 4, 2021

The 10-run margin is Salem's largest over Fredericksburg since Sept. 4, 2021

Salem's 14 hits tied a season high and marked the fifth time this season the Yaks recorded double-digit hits

The five stolen bases tied a single-game high and marked the third time this season Salem has swiped five bases (all at home)

The 12 strikeouts marked the eighth time this season Salem's pitching staff has reached double-digit strikeouts (seven of those at home)

The Yaks have outscored opponents 28-5 over their last two home games

Andrews Opata went 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to nine games

D'Angelo Ortiz finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, extending his team-best on-base streak to 11 games

Stanley Tucker extended his on-base streak to 10 games with a sixth-inning RBI walk

Salem committed zero errors for the first time this season after committing at least one error in each of its previous 20 games (dating back to last season)

Enddy Azocar's sixth-inning home run traveled 377 feet, the longest at Carilion Clinic Field this season

All three of Azocar's home runs this season have come in the last three games

Check out the Salem RidgeYaks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from April 21, 2026


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