Perez Go-Ahead Single Helps Wood Ducks to Series Win

Kinston, N.C. - The Down East Wood Ducks won a seesaw battle, 5-4, over the Wilmington Blue Rocks Sunday, earning a win in the rubber game of the series.

Down East (33-22, 83-42) wins in last at-bat fashion for the second straight day, and now leads the season series with Wilmington 7-3.
The Woodies got on the board in the first inning. Julio Pablo Martinez led off with a walk, and then after stealing second, moved to third on a Sam Huff single through the left side. Curtis Terry then bounced into a double play, but it allowed Martinez to come home and score and make it 1-0.
Wilmington answered with a run in the second. Sebastian Rivero came through with an RBI single up the middle to plate Cristian Perez , who reached on a fielder's choice, and moved to second on a wild pitch.
The Woodies got the lead right back in the third. Martinez led off the inning with a solo home run to right field, his 11^th of the season, to give Down East a 2-1 advantage.
It stayed that way until the sixth inning, when Kyle Isbel took Noah Bremer deep for a two run home run, after Brewer Hicklen singled to begin the inning, and gave the Blue Rocks a 3-2 edge, their first lead of the contest.
Bremer tossed six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, he walked one, and struck out three.
The Woodies got Bremer off the hook in the bottom of the frame, as Terry crushed his tenth home run of the season, left of the batter's eye in center, to tie the score at 3-3.
Daniel Lynch started for the Blue Rocks and went six innings, giving up three runs on four hits, he walked three and struck out seven.
With one on and two out for the Wood Ducks in the eighth, Collin Snider (loss, 5-3) walked Diosbel Arias and Sherten Apostel to load the bases. Then down in the count with two strikes, Yanio Perez singled back up the middle to score two runs, and make it a 5-3 advantage.
Jairo Beras (win, 3-0) fired two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit.
Michael Matuella came on in the ninth and allowed the first two men to reach, on a walk and a single. Cole Uvila came on with one out and gave up an RBI single to Colby Schultz, but then Schultz was gunned out at second base, trying to move into scoring position as the go-ahead run. After allowing a walk, Uvila (save, 5) bounced back to fan Hicklen, as the Wood Ducks held on for a 5-4 win.
Down East is off Monday, but continues their home stand Tuesday against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. It's Food Lion BOGO night where fans who present their Food Lion MVP cards will receive buy-one, get-one tickets. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. and the broadcast will begin at 6:50 p.m. on 960AM 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.