Sox Win in 11th Inning Walk-Off 

SALEM, VA – The Salem Red Sox outlast the Lynchburg Hillcats in 11 innings on Tuesday night courtesy of Nick Yorke’s late inning heroics. The Red Sox (24-19) knocked off the Hillcats (22-9) in game one of the six game series.

After Lynchburg and Salem each notched a run in the first three innings, Lynchburg broke out for a four run fifth inning. Angel Martinez doubled on a ground ball off the glove of Joe Davis at first scoring Hosea Nelson and Alexfri Planez.

Yainer Diaz and and Ike Freeman chipped in with a pair of RBI singles to give the Hillcats a 5-1 advantage in the fifth. The Red Sox didn’t take long to respond in the bottom half of the frame when Nick Northcut smacked a deep fly over the left field wall to bring the Red Sox within one.

A wild pitch in the sixth from Brauny Munoz tied the game at five, and Nick Yorke shot an RBI single up the middle in the seventh gave the Sox the 6-5 advantage. After another wild pitch from Trey Benton in the eighth, Salem took a two-run edge leading to six unanswered runs.

Going into the top of the ninth Jacinto Arredondo was seeking his second save this season with a two-run lead. He was not able to secure it as Angel Martinez drove an RBI triple to right center field to bring Lynchburg within one. The very next batter Arredondo offered a wild pitch to tie the game at seven and the game was headed to extra innings.

Each team scored a run in the tenth inning which resulted in no blood being drawn. In the top of the 11th the Ryan Fernandez shut down the Hillcats stranding a pair of runners. With runners on the corners in the bottom of the 11th, Nick Yorke provided the Red Sox first walk-off of the season with an RBI single up the middle.

The Red Sox took game one and will battle the Hillcats at 7:05 PM on Wednesday evening for game two.

First pitch: 7:09 PM

Time of game: 4:18

Attendance: 1,907

Venue: Salem Memorial Ballpark