Sock Puppets Come from Behind to Win Opening Night
June 6, 2025 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Burlington Sock Puppets News Release
BURLINGTON, N.C. - The Burlington Sock Puppets kicked off their 2025 season with a 3-2 comeback win over the Bluefield Ridge Runners on Opening Night at Burlington Athletic Stadium.
Starter Andrew Steinhaus set the tone, tossing four strong innings and allowing just one hit in his season debut. After a scoreless start, Bluefield broke through in the fourth with a single from catcher Josh Hines. The Ridge Runners doubled their lead an inning later when Trey Callaway drove in Cole Decker with an RBI single following Decker's double.
Reliever Tony Neubeck kept the game within reach, retiring the side in the sixth after taking over for Steinhaus and preserving the 2-0 deficit.
Burlington entered the seventh inning 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, but that changed quickly. With Brian Carrothers at the plate, a passed ball scored Wade Shelley to put the Sock Puppets on the board. Carrothers, hitless through his first three at-bats, then ripped a double down the right-field line to bring home Dusty Vela and tie the game at 2.
The momentum continued in the eighth as Ryan Hench worked around a bases-loaded jam to keep the game even. In the bottom half, Jeter Polledo tripled to right with one out, bringing the home crowd to life. DJ Merriweather followed with an RBI double into the gap, giving Burlington its first lead of the night.
"Stay the course ... the game isn't over until the 27th out is made," manager Anthony Essien said after the win.
Essien stuck with Hench in the ninth, and the right-hander responded by sitting Bluefield down in order to lock up the win and give the Sock Puppets a 1-0 start to the season.
"He made pitches when he needed to ... he kept the hitters off balance, and he was pretty good tonight," Essien said.
Burlington and Bluefield are back in action tonight at 7. You can get tickets for the Friday night bout with this link: https://www.milb.com/burlington/tickets/single-game
Appalachian League Stories from June 6, 2025
- Axmen's Bats Awaken in 15-6 Road Victory - Kingsport Axmen
- Flyboys Rained out on Friday - Greeneville Flyboys
- Sock Puppets Come from Behind to Win Opening Night - Burlington Sock Puppets
- Axemen Fall After 10-Run Comeback by Pulaski - Kingsport Axmen
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