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Wood Ducks Bat Around in Ninth, Fall Short Against Fayetteville

Down East Can't Overcome Deficit, Six Scoreless From Dubin
September 2, 2019

Fayetteville, N.C. - The Down East Wood Ducks rallied from down 5-0 in the ninth inning to score four times, but ultimately stranded the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position, falling 5-4 in the regular season finale.

Fayetteville, N.C. - The Down East Wood Ducks rallied from down 5-0 in the ninth inning to score four times, but ultimately stranded the tying and go-ahead runners in scoring position, falling 5-4 in the regular season finale.

Down East (37-32, 87-52) will seek revenge against Fayetteville (41-29, 72-67) when the two teams square off in the Divisional Round of the Mills Cup playoffs, beginning Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Segra Stadium.
Shawn Dubin (win, 6-5) was sensation on the mound for Fayetteville. The right-hander did not give up a hit through his first five innings of work. Yanio Perez doubled to lead off the sixth, the only hit he allowed on the night. He struck out ten, did not walk a batter, and did not allow a run.
The Woodpeckers jumped on the board early against Manuel Santiago (loss, 0-1), making his first start above the rookie ball level. Santiago walked three in the first inning, including Miguelangel Sierra , who later scored on a wild pitch to give the Woodpeckers the lead.
Fayetteville added a run in the second when Sierra took Santiago deep to left for his 13th home run of the season to make it 2-0.
The Woodpeckers continued to tack on insurance through the middle innings. Sierra led off the fifth inning with a double down the left field line, and scored two batters later on a Marty Costes sac fly.
 Michael Papierski led off the six inning with a walk, and came into score after back-to-back singles from Scott Schreiber and Ross Adolf, to make it 4-0. Costes then led off the seventh by drawing a walk, and after advancing to third base, scored on a dropped third strike later in the frame to put Fayetteville ahead, 5-0.
The Wood Ducks put a rally together in the ninth, despite entering the frame with just one hit and three baserunners on the night. Julio Pablo Martinez led off the inning with an infield single, and then Sam Huff followed by working a walk. Curtis Terry then singled up the middle to score Martinez and break up the shutout. With one out, Diosbel Arias looped a single over shortstop to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate. Yohel Pozo then reached on an error, on a ground ball to shortstop, allowing Huff to come into score. Terry then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 5-3 ballgame. Bubba Thompson then walked to load the bases, and with two outs, Josh Altmann singled to shortstop to bring home Arias and make it a one-run ballgame. That brought Martinez to the plate, and with a 2-2 count against Humberto Castellanos (save, 3) he was rung up on strikes to end the ballgame.
After a day off Tuesday, the Wood Ducks and Woodpeckers begin postseason play, facing off in game one at Segra Stadium, Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Wood Ducks will send lefty Sal Mendez (7-2, 2.37) to the mound to face off with Fayetteville righty Nivaldo Rodriguez (3-5, 2.92). The broadcast will begin at 5:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online at 960thebull.com, as well as the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps. The Wood Ducks will return to Grainger Stadium for Game Three of the Divisional Round of the playoffs Friday, September 6. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172.