Woodpeckers Ride Long Ball to Victory in Second Installment of Series
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers used home runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take control in a 4-2 win over the Charleston RiverDogs on Wednesday afternoon at Segra Stadium. Neither team scored after the fifth inning. Catcher Raudlelis Martinez went 4-4 at the plate with a double and a triple
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers used home runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take control in a 4-2 win over the Charleston RiverDogs on Wednesday afternoon at Segra Stadium. Neither team scored after the fifth inning. Catcher Raudlelis Martinez went 4-4 at the plate with a double and a triple in the RiverDogs defeat.
Fayetteville (4-1) opened the scoring in the first inning, quickly getting to starter Andrew Lindsey. Oliver Carrillo singled with one out and raced to third on Juan Santander’s ensuing base knock. With two outs, Chase Jaworsky smashed a groundball to the right side of the infield. Second baseman Narciso Polanco made a diving stop but could not get an out on the play as Carrillo crossed the plate.
The RiverDogs (2-3) tied the game in the second thanks to left fielder Luis Perez losing Raudelis Martinez’s fly ball in the overcast sky. Martinez raced into third on the misplay, which allowed him to score on a wild pitch moments later.
In the third, Charleston grabbed their first lead of the series. Woo Shin pulled a groundball double down the third base line with one out and scored on Martinez’s single to right center for a 2-1 lead.
The Woodpeckers entered Wednesday’s game with just one home run on the season. However, they used the long ball exclusively to tie the game and then take the lead. Chase Jaworsky’s solo home run in the fourth inning pulled them even. One inning later, Anthony Sherwin greeted reliever Drew Dowd with a two-run home run to hand Fayetteville a 4-2 lead. That inning began with Lindsey walking Alberto Hernandez before departing.
Lindsey was dealt the loss, allowing three runs in 4.0 innings on the mound. He surrendered four hits and struck out three. Dowd went 4.0 innings out of the pen, retiring the final 12 batters he faced. The southpaw recorded six strikeouts.
Fayetteville’s bullpen combo of Colby Langford and James Hicks combined to blank the RiverDogs over the final 5.2 innings. Langford earned the win, while Hicks tallied the save by striking out four in 4.0 innings of work.
Aside from Martinez, Jaworsky was the only other player with multiple hits in the contest. He closed the day 2-3 with a pair of RBI.
The RiverDogs will look for their first road win of the season on Thursday night at 6:25 p.m. when RHP Gary Gill Hill makes his 2024 debut. Opposing him will be RHP Jackson Nezuh (0-0, 2.25) of Fayetteville.