Playing their first game under a new name after rebranding from the Salem Red Sox, the RidgeYaks defeated the Delmarva Shorebirds 5-4 on Thursday night in a Carolina League season opener. – The Salem RidgeYaks opened a new era with a win.
Playing their first game under a new name after rebranding from the Salem Red Sox, the RidgeYaks defeated the Delmarva Shorebirds 5-4 on Thursday night in a Carolina League season opener.
The RidgeYaks broke through in the first inning and then delivered the decisive blow in the third, plating three runs to take control. Skylar King was responsible for three of the RidgeYaks first four RBI, as King laced a double in the third. Enddy Azocar also brought a run home. Salem added another run in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-0.
Delmarva was held in check through five innings before getting on the board in the sixth. The Shorebirds mounted a late rally with two runs in the eighth and another in the ninth but fell one run short.
Despite the late pressure, Salem’s pitching staff closed it out to secure the one-run victory.
The win marked a successful start not only to the 2026 season, but to the new beginning in Salem. The RidgeYaks and Delmarva are back in action on Friday with first pitch coming at 6:35 p.m.