Sox Use Five-Run Ninth To Stun Cannon Ballers In 8-7 Win

SALEM, Va. – Led by Andy Lugo’s walk-off single and a five-run bottom of the ninth, the Salem Red Sox (68-59) raced past the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (67-59) in an 8-7 come-from-behind win on Monday afternoon at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

The victory moved the Sox to just two games back of first in the second half of play in the Carolina League North, with just five games left to play in 2024.

The scoring got started early on. Salem struck first on a Lugo RBI double, before he came around to score on a Kannapolis run-scoring error on starting pitcher Tanner McDougal. All of sudden, the Sox led 2-0, putting up a two-spot in the home half of the second.

The Cannon Ballers would then put up a three-spot in the top of the fifth, before adding two more in the top of the seventh. An Andruw Mussett RBI groundout in the home half of the frame made it 5-3, and all of a sudden, we moved to the ninth.

That’s when it looked like Kannapolis had put the game away. The Cannon Ballers tacked on two more runs in the top of the frame, taking a 7-3 lead with the Sox down to their final three outs.

Salem then chipped away. A Franklin Arias two-run single trimmed the lead to 7-5, and then with runners on first and second and just one down, in stepped Caden Rose.

A two-run double off the bat of Rose tied the game at 7, and just a single hitter later, Lugo’s RBI single got down to win the game.

The Red Sox and Cannon Ballers continue their six-game set when they return to Salem Memorial Ballpark on Wednesday evening at 7:05 p.m. ET. Right-hander Luis Cohen gets the ball.