FredNats win series over Salem with second walk-off of the week, ninth of the season

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - After overcoming a 7-1 deficit, the Fredericksburg Nationals (24-19, 54-54) won 10-9 over the Salem Red Sox (21-27, 47-65) on a walk-off single from Nick Hollifield. The win was the FredNats’ second walk-off of the week and Minor-League-Baseball-leading ninth of the season.

Through the first five innings, a slugging Salem offense built a commanding 7-1 lead against Luke Johnson and the FredNats. The Sox went on a six-hit and five-run rally, all with two outs, in the fifth inning. By the end of the fifth, Salem had 11 hits, six of which were doubles.

From there, the FredNats didn’t back down. They mounted a massive rally of their own in the sixth inning. Kevin Bazzell and Luke Dickerson singled to start it, with Bazzell scoring when Nick Peoples followed them up with a third straight single. With two on, Randal Diaz smoked a two-RBI double down the left field line that brought the game to 7-5.

That wasn’t the end. After a Cristhian Vaquero strikeout, Elijah Green muscled a double to score Diaz. Then, one batter later, Hollifield tied the game 7-7 with an RBI single back up the middle, bringing the FredNats all the way back.

After the two teams traded single runs in regulation, the game went to extra innings. Salem scored its automatic runner from second base on a single from Gerardo Rodriguez, but the FredNats went into the bottom of the tenth inning down 8-7.

With Randal Diaz running at second, Green reached for the fourth time on an error that let Diaz score the tying run. He advanced on a hit-by-pitch. He scored when Hollifield hit another bouncer that split the middle infielders for the walk-off win. Hollifield finished with two game-altering singles, as the FredNats had 13 hits on the night.

The win gave Fredericksburg the series win and sent the team into an off day Monday. The FredNats next meet the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in a seven-game home series starting Tuesday.