Kinston, N.C. - Tied a 3-3 in the ninth, Yohel Pozo lined an RBI single to center, to lift Down East to a 4-3 walk-off win over Wilmington, and even the series at one game apiece.
Kinston, N.C. - Tied a 3-3 in the ninth, Yohel Pozo lined an RBI single to center, to lift Down East to a 4-3 walk-off win over Wilmington, and even the series at one game apiece.
Down East (42-22, 82-42) picks up their ninth walk-off win of the season, and third in the month of August.
The Wood Ducks got on the board in the first inning. Sam Huff reached on a one-out single, and then two batters later, Pozo cranked a two-run home run to left, his ninth of the season, to put the Woodies ahead, 2-0.
Austin Cox worked 3.2 innings for Wilmington (28-25, 72-50), giving up two runs on four hits, he walked three, and struck out three.
The Blue Rocks chipped away. In the second Tyler Hill led off with a walk, and after advancing from first to third on a single from Nick Pratto , came into score on a MJ Melendez sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. In the third, Wilmington drew even on a one out double form Ricky Aracena , followed by an RBI single from Kyle Kasser . The Blue Rocks then grabbed the lead in the fourth inning. Hill led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and came into score on a groundout from Melendez to make it 3-2.
Alex Eubanks worked five innings for the Wood Ducks, giving up three runs on six hits, he walked two and struck out two.
Josh Advocate came out of the bullpen and faced the minimum over three innings. He walked one, but erased Hill on a pickoff at first, and struck out a career-high six in relief.
Down East evened the score in the seventh. Julio Pablo Martinez led off the inning with a single, and then came all the way around from first base to score on an RBI single from Huff, to the gap in left-center, one batter later.
Joe Kuzia (win, 4-1) fired a three-up, three-down ninth inning, striking out two.
With one out in the home ninth, Huff and Curtis Terry lined back to back singles off of Austin Lambright (loss, 0-2) to put runners at the corners. Pozo then followed lining a ball back up the middle to score Huff, and win it for the Wood Ducks.
The Woodies and Blue Rocks will play the rubber game of the three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Right-hander Noah Bremer (3-0, 3.07) will take the mound for the Wood Ducks, opposed by Wilmington lefty Daniel Lynch (4-2, 3.08). It's Sunday Funday presented by Cricket Wireless, featuring pregame autograph signings and postgame kids-run-the-bases. The broadcast will begin at 12:50 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.
