Bases Loaded Walk to Guerrero Walks Woodpeckers Off Over Cannon Ballers

FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Luis Guerrero watched ball four on Thursday night at Segra Stadium in the bottom of the ninth, earning the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (30-39) their fourth walk-off victory of the season in a 4-3 victory over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (22-47. After three early runs, the Fayetteville offense went cold, and was kept in the game by dominant pitching from Alfredi Jimenez and Kevin Holcomb.

Kannapolis put a run on the board in the first frame with a Samil Polanco solo home run off Jimenez in the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Woodpeckers grabbed the bats, and quickly put two runners on base on a fielding error and a walk. Jordan Brewer singled against starter Drew Dalquist and knotted the game at 1-1. Nerio Rodriguez gave the Woodpeckers the lead on a sac fly, and Ronaldo Urdaneta tripled home a run to make it 3-1.

After allowing a Jeremiah Burks double in the second, Jimenez steadied to retire ten in a row before a double from James Beard led the sixth. Jose Rodriguez drove in Beard with a groundout to make it 3-2, but Jimenez worked through the sixth to reach a quality start. Jimenez returned in the seventh and kept the game at 3-2, retiring the side in order with strikeouts of Ceberea Weaver and Lency Delgado to close his night. His eight strikeouts tied a season-high mark and seven innings set the new long-mark for a single outing of any Woodpeckers pitcher this season

Kevin Holcomb (W, 2-2) took over on the mound in the eighth and struck out the first two batters he faced. Beard continued the inning with a single, and Rodriguez delivered with a hit to drive in his second run of the night and tie the game at 3-3. After Fayetteville went scoreless in the eighth, Kannapolis put two runners on in the ninth with nobody out. Holcomb proceeded to retire three in a row and keep the game tied into the bottom of the night.

Facing Jordan Mikel (L, 2-2), Rodriguez connected with a leadoff triple, the first hit since the third inning. Nate Perry and Victor Mascai were intentionally walked, loading up the bases for Guerrero. Guerrero drew ball four to score Rodriguez on the bases loaded walk to secure the 4-3 final and earn the Woodpeckers their first victory of the homestand.

The series continues on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EDT. Kannpolis will start RHP Chase Solesky (1-3, 4.53) and Fayetteville’s starter is TBA.

FULL BOX SCORE: Cannon Ballers vs. Woodpeckers Box Score | 07/22/21 (milb.com)