Guzman’s Walk-Off Single Propels Salem to 8-7 Extra-Inning Win

SALEM, Va. – Adonys Guzman played hero Tuesday night, delivering a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Salem RidgeYaks (53-73, 28-33) to an 8-7 walk-off win over the Hill City Howlers (54-72, 23-37) at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

The RidgeYaks erased a four-run deficit and forced extra innings, but Hill City scored first in the 10th before Salem mounted one final comeback.

Hill City opened the scoring in the top of the first when Alejandro Blasco singled home Lucas Moore, giving the Howlers a 1-0 lead.

Alejandro Garza doubled home Angel Abreu in the second to make it 2-0, and the Howlers added two more runs in the fourth. Gabriel Rodriguez's RBI single scored Ben Cleary, with an error allowing Rodriguez to advance to second, before Garza's sacrifice fly brought Rodriguez home to push the lead to 4-0.

Salem finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth.

Avinson Pinto reached on a fielder's choice that scored Andrews Opata, with a throwing error allowing Adonys Guzman to advance to second. Anderson Fermin followed with an RBI single to bring Guzman home, and Martin Shelar singled home Pinto to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Hill City responded with two runs in the seventh. Moore doubled home Pedro Dalmagro before Deiten Lachance lifted a sacrifice fly to score Moore, restoring a 6-3 Howlers advantage.

The RidgeYaks answered again in the bottom of the eighth.

Starlyn Nunez stole second and scored when Louis Andujar reached, cutting the deficit to 6-4. Nunez then came home on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by catcher Deiten Lachance, bringing Salem within one.

With the tying run on base, Adonys Guzman delivered again, doubling home Andrews Opata to tie the game at 6-6.

Neither team scored in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings.

Hill City regained the lead in the top of the 10th when catcher Franklin Primera had the baseball become lodged in his jersey, forcing a dead ball and allowing Johan Rodriguez to score to make it 7-6 Howlers.

Salem wouldn't go quietly.

Opata opened the bottom half with an RBI double, scoring Nunez and tying the game at 7-7.

Then came Guzman.

The Salem first baseman lined a single to left field, bringing Opata home from second and sending the RidgeYaks to an 8-7 walk-off victory.

Guzman finished the night 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Opata went 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and three runs scored. Shelar added two hits and an RBI, while Fermin drove in a pair.

The RidgeYaks collected eight hits and went 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

On the mound, Harry Blum (4-3) earned the win, tossing 2.1 innings and allowing two hits and one unearned run while striking out three.

The Battle for 460 continues Wednesday night, with Christian Foutch taking the baseball for Salem against southpaw Miguel Flores of the Howlers.

Game Notes

• Salem snapped an eight-game losing skid and won its first game since August 22
• The walk-off was Salem's fourth of the season and first since August 7
• It also marked Salem's first extra-inning walk-off win since July 20, 2025, when Natanael Yuten delivered a walk-off single against Fayetteville
• Salem erased a four-run deficit and was outhit 12-8
• The RidgeYaks won just their seventh game this season when being outhit (7-45)
• Salem also won its first extra-inning game since July 12 at Columbia
• The Yaks won their fourth game this season when trailing after seven innings, improving to 4-58 in such games
• Martin Shelar went 2-for-5 with his second career multi-hit effort
• Shelar has now hit safely in five straight games dating back to August 26
• Andrews Opata stole his league-leading 54th stolen base. That total also ties Braiden Ward of Worcester for the most by any player in the Red Sox organization
• Anderson Fermin went 1-for-3 and, over his last 11 games dating back to August 9, is pacing the team with a .412 average (14-for-34) and a 1.002 OPS
• Across Fermin's other 61 games this season, he is hitting .219 with a .677 OPS
• Carson Revay picked up his first career strikeout in the fourth inning
• Salem has now scored 697 runs this season, the fourth-most in a single season in the modern era
• Franklin Primera reached base for the 14th consecutive game dating back to August 14, while Starlyn Nunez also extended his on-base streak to 10 games dating back to August 18
• Salem now leads the Battle for 460 season series, 4-3

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