SALEM, Va. (Interstat) — Erick Dessens homered to right-center field in the top of the eighth inning, providing the game’s only run as the Hill City Howlers beat the Salem RidgeYaks 1-0 on Thursday at Carilion Clinic Field. Dessens finished 2 for 3 and drove in the run. Hill City outhit Salem 7-6, while Salem managed six hits but was held scoreless.

Erigaldi Perez started for Hill City and threw six scoreless innings, scattering four hits while striking out four. Parker Dillhoff followed with a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win, improving to 1-0. Harrison Ruiz struck out three in a perfect ninth inning to collect his second save.

Salem’s Cole Tolbert allowed four hits over 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out four. Wuilliams Rodriguez took the loss, giving up three hits and one earned run in two innings.

The Howlers improved to 56-73. Salem dropped to 54-75. Attendance was 2,395, and the game lasted 2:14.