Four Homers Power Wood Ducks to Series Sweep of Hillcats

Kinston, N.C. - The Down East Wood Ducks blasted a season-high four home runs to lead the Woodies to a 7-5 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats, and a three-game series sweep.

Down East (14-9, 64-29) has won seven of their last nine games, and concludes the season series with Lynchburg (11-12, 43-47), going 9-8.
The Wood Ducks got behind in the second inning as Will Benson led off with a single and Mitch Reeves followed with a double, paving the way for a Jonathan Laureano sac fly to make it 1-0 Lynchburg.
Down East answered immediately. After a walk-off homer Thursday, Yanio Perez returned for an encore performance, Friday, blasting a two run homer in the home second to score Curtis Terry , who led off with a walk, to put Down East in front, 2-1.
One inning later Sam Huff led off the third by crushing a hanging breaking ball to left for his eighth Wood Ducks home run, and 23^rd overall this season, making it 3-1.
Lynchburg made it a one run game in the sixth when Benson launched an opposite field home run off of Reid Anderson to make it 3-2.
Anderson (win, 4-5) worked 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on six hits, he walked three, and struck out three. He exited with the bases loaded, but Cole Uvila got a popup to escape the jam.
Lynchburg loaded the bases in each of the final four innings, as Wood Ducks pitching walked ten over the final four frames, and 11 overall on the night. Lynchburg stranded the bases full in the sixth, seventh and eighth, and totaled 14 left on base on the night.
Meanwhile Down East padded their lead. In the sixth, Perez launched his second home run of the night and his fifth of the season, off of Justin Garza to increase the advantage to 4-2.
Garza (loss 4-7) worked six innings, giving up four runs on four hits, he walked two, and struck out a career-high eight. Three of the four hits he allowed went for home runs.
Then in the seventh, Tyler Depreta-Johnson led off with a double, and Julio Pablo Martinez doubled him home two batters later. Later in the inning Martinez would come into score on an infield single by Terry, making it 6-2.
The Wood Ducks added on one final time in the eighth on a solo home run by Hasuan Viera , his first of the year, to make it, 7-2. It was the first four-homer game by the Wood Ducks since May 2, 2018.
After escaping a bases loaded jam in the eighth inning, Jefferson Medina loaded the bases in the ninth, setting up a save situation for Joe Kuzia (save, 12). Kuzia would allow a two run double to Laureano and a sac fly to Tyler Freeman , but he ultimately struck out Tyler Friis to help the Woodies hold on for a 7-5 win.
The Wood Ducks continue their home stand Saturday against the Winston-Salem Dash at 6 p.m. when the Wood Ducks send righty Alex Eubanks (8-2, 2.17) to face off with Dash right-hander Jorgan Cavanerio (5-0, 2.93). It's Christmas In July at Grainger Stadium, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a DEWD snow globe presented by Piggly Wiggly Fresh Buy. The broadcast will begin at 5:50 p.m. on 960 AM The Bull, and online at 960thebull.com as well as on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio apps. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172.