Ballers Swipe Rain-Shortened Opener Against Red Sox at Home 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers notched two runs in the bottom of the third inning and withstood a push from the Salem Red Sox to take the series opener, 2-1, in a six-inning rain-shortened matchup Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

With the win, Kannapolis moves to 55-41 in the overall season, while Salem falls to just three games over .500 at 50-47 on the season.

RHP Ricardo Brizuela tossed 3.2 innings in the Ballers win, allowing one run on five hits, allowing one walk on three strikeouts. RHP Connor Housley struck out three in his 1.1 innings of relief, tallying his first win as a Cannon Baller by following up Brizuela. Rounding out the night on the mound was RHP Carson Jacobs, who earned his first save as a Baller with a strikeout of the side in one inning.

Both Kannapolis runs came across in the bottom of the third on a Ryan Burrowes RBI triple and a George Wolkow sacrifice fly. The pair of scores put the Ballers ahead, 2-0, after three.

Salem’s lone run came in the top of the fourth, with Andy Lugo driving in a run on an RBI single to cut the lead to, 2-1. Despite many attempts after, the Red Sox failed to complete a comeback, falling in the series opener to the Cannon Ballers.

RHP Tanner McDougal gets the start in game two of the series between the Ballers and Red Sox on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. in the Camp Day showdown at Atrium Health Ballpark.

Fans can purchase tickets for Wednesday’s game or any remaining Cannon Ballers home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark.