Starlyn Nunez Walks off Kannapolis to Cap Four-Run Comeback, Seal 8-7 Win
CarL Salem Red Sox

Starlyn Nunez Walks off Kannapolis to Cap Four-Run Comeback, Seal 8-7 Win

Published on August 10, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Salem Red Sox News Release


SALEM, Va. - The Salem Red Sox (45-61, 19-23) entered the eighth inning trailing by four runs but staged a thrilling late rally, capped by a bases-clearing, walk-off single from Starlyn Nunez, to stun the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (52-56, 20-22) with an 8-7 victory Sunday afternoon at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

For seven innings, the Sox played from behind and entered their final at-bat down to their last out. But with the game, and a six-game series split, on the line, Nunez stepped into the hero's role, delivering the club's fourth walk-off win of the season.

Salem entered Sunday's series finale looking to build on Saturday's victory and salvage a split. The momentum carried over early.

In the second inning, Maximus Martin led off with a walk and was replaced on the bases by Enddy Azocar after a fielder's choice. Azocar promptly swiped second, moved to third on an errant throw into center, and scored when Kleyver Salazar lined an RBI single to right. It was 1-0 Sox.

The run marked a milestone for Salazar, the team's usual catcher, who was starting at first base for the first time this season, and just the 23rd time in his career.

Kannapolis, however, wasted no time responding. In the top of the third, Ely Brown reached on a fielding error by starting pitcher Jose Bello, advanced to third on Bello's throwing error on the same play, and scored on an RBI single from White Sox No. 5 prospect Caleb Bonemer.

A single by Bryce Eblin and back-to-back walks to Ronny Hernandez and George Wolkow pushed across a second run. Moments later, Bello balked in another, marking the third straight game in which Kannapolis had scored on a balk. The Ballers led 3-1 after three innings, with Bello's day ending after allowing three runs (only one earned) in as many frames.

Kannapolis extended its lead in the fourth when Brown drove in Adrian Gil with an RBI single. Then, on a first-and-third play, Brown broke for home and successfully stole the plate, making it 5-1.

Salem answered in the bottom half when Nunez lifted a sacrifice fly to score Martin, trimming the deficit to 5-2.

Grant Umberger, Kannapolis's starter, kept the Sox in check until the sixth, when Martin singled, his second hit of the day, and Salazar followed with an RBI double to right, bringing the score to 5-3.

The Ballers immediately struck back in the seventh, scoring twice on a wild pitch and an RBI groundout to stretch the lead to 7-3.

The Sox' largest comeback win of the 2025 season to that point had been four runs, achieved once back on May 4 against Fredericksburg. They matched that magic in the eighth.

Martin opened the frame with his third hit of the day, Azocar singled, and Salazar walked to load the bases with no outs. Skylar King, the former West Virginia Mountaineer, ripped an RBI single, and Gerardo Rodriguez added a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 7-5.

Still, Salem entered the ninth 2-43 when trailing after eight innings this season. That record didn't matter on this Sunday.

Reliever Calvin Bickerstaff pitched a clean top of the ninth to keep the deficit at two.

Kannapolis turned to Pierce George, one of their most reliable bullpen arms, to close it out. George got the first out quickly, but Yoeilin Cespedes walked, and Martin collected his fourth hit of the day, tying Nunez's mark from May 20 for the most by a Salem player this year.

With the tying run on base, Azocar popped out for the second out, bringing Salazar to the plate. After a gritty at-bat, Salazar worked a walk to load them up for Nunez.

Manager Ozzie Chavez substituted Natanael Yuten to pinch run at first, adding more speed to the potential winning run.

On the second pitch, Nunez rolled a grounder past a diving first baseman into right field. One run scored easily, and Cespedes raced home. The throw from right fielder George Wolkow arrived on target, but catcher Ronny Hernandez couldn't scoop it cleanly, allowing Cespedes to score the tying run.

As the ball kicked away up the line, Yuten saw an opening. He dashed home, beating the relay without a slide, to complete a wild walk-off victory.

Nunez finished with three RBIs, while Martin went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, Azocar added a 2-for-5 effort, and Salazar went a perfect 3-for-3 with two walks. The middle third of Salem's lineup combined for nine of the team's 13 hits.

Bickerstaff earned the win after striking out four in two perfect innings, while George took the loss, allowing the final three runs.

With the victory, Salem split the six-game set with Kannapolis and carries a two-game win streak into the road trip. The Sox now sit 6.0 games back in the Carolina League North Division with 24 games remaining, 18 of them against the division's top three clubs: Carolina, Fredericksburg, and Fayetteville.

Next up, Salem travels to Virginia Credit Union Stadium to open a six-game series against the Fredericksburg Nationals. First pitch Tuesday is set for 6:30 p.m.

Check out the Salem Red Sox Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from August 10, 2025


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