Salem Falls in Series Finale, 5-2 to Lynchburg

SALEM, Va. – The Salem Red Sox (5-10) dropped an Easter Sunday matchup to the Lynchburg Hillcats (9-6), coming up short 5-2 at Carilion Clinic Field. The loss capped off a six-game series in which Lynchburg took five of six games.

Lynchburg’s offense struck early, putting up two runs in the top of the first inning. Welbyn Francisca led off with a single and came around to score on a Bennett Thompson RBI single. Thompson then scored on a wild pitch and an errant throw by catcher Kleyver Salazar, giving the Hillcats an early 2-0 lead.

The Hillcats extended their advantage in the second inning with an RBI single from Alberto Mendez, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Salem responded in the bottom of the fourth. Franklin Arias led off with a single, extending his on-base streak to 14 games. A wild pitch by Jacob Zibin allowed Arias to score, and Freili Encarnacion followed with an RBI single to center field, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

Trennor O’Donnell made his first start of the 2025 season for Salem, going 3.2 innings while allowing seven hits and three runs (two earned). He struck out three and took the loss for Salem.

After scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth innings, Lynchburg added another run in the top of the seventh. Luis Merejo drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and was driven in by a Ryan Cesarini RBI single, making it 4-2.

In the eighth, Mendez delivered again, launching a solo home run over the right field fence off Joe Vogatsky to extend the Hillcats' lead to 5-2.

Melkis Hernandez was dominant out of the bullpen for Lynchburg, tossing the final five innings. He earned the win by allowing just one hit and no runs, while striking out six on 68 pitches.

In the top of the ninth, Thompson singled off Vogatsky, prompting a pitching change. Manager Ozzie Chavez turned to catcher Diego Viloria to climb the hill. Making his second appearance on the mound this series. Viloria needed just four pitches to induce a 4-6-3 double play from Cesarini, ending the frame and giving Salem a final chance in the bottom of the ninth.

But Hernandez shut the door with a 1-2-3 inning, sealing the 5-2 win for Lynchburg.

The Sox have now dropped four straight and hit the road for a six-game set in Hickory, North Carolina. They'll face off against the Hickory Crawdads (the Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers) with the series opener set for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Salem returns home to Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark the following week on Tuesday, April 29, to begin a six-game series against the Fredericksburg Nationals.