FredNats Rally Comes Up Short, RidgeYaks Win 6-3

Fredericksburg, VA - The Fredericksburg Nationals put together a rally in the 8th inning to get back into the game, but fell short in a 6-3 loss to the Salem RidgeYaks. The FredNats struggled to put together any offense through the first six innings of the game, bringing just one more than the minimum to the plate. The top offense in the Carolina League was held to under five runs for the third time in as many games this series.

The FredNats pitching staff struggled throughout the game with its control. Leuris Portorreal and Liam Sullivan, two arms known for throwing strikes, didn’t have their best stuff today and walked six in just the first 3.2 innings. Nationals pitchers walked eight in the game. The RidgeYaks walked just one, that was the difference in the end.

Salem got on the board in the third as Enddy Azocar hit a 442-foot moonshot into left-center field. The RidgeYaks added on two more in the 5th on a wild pitch that took an awkward bounce off the stone wall behind home. Salem took a 4-0 lead as Azocar hit another ball hard to bring home Starlyn Nunez.

The offense finally woke up for Fredericksburg in the 7th as Jack Moroknek got his second hit of the game to bring home Coy James. In the bottom of the 8th, the rally started as the FredNats got back into the game. Eli Willits and Coy James both delivered RBI hits, but Willits was thrown out at second, and James was thrown out at home. Salem then added more insurance with two runs in the top of the 9th.

The loss is the second in a row for the FredNats. Last series, Fredericksburg lost the first two games to Hill City before winning four in a row. The Nationals hope to get back into the win column tomorrow. RHP Alexander Meckley takes the bump against LHP Jason Gilman. First pitch at Virginia Credit Union Stadium is at 6:35 PM.