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Calderon, Garcia Dominant as Woodpeckers Shut Out Down East

August 31, 2022

Kinston, NC - Carlos Calderon pitched six scoreless innings, Ronny Garcia earned his first Single-A save, and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (50-71, 19-37) silenced the Down East Wood Ducks Wednesday night at Grainger Stadium. Fayetteville won by a final score of 6-0 to even the series at one game apiece. Calderon

Kinston, NC - Carlos Calderon pitched six scoreless innings, Ronny Garcia earned his first Single-A save, and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (50-71, 19-37) silenced the Down East Wood Ducks Wednesday night at Grainger Stadium. Fayetteville won by a final score of 6-0 to even the series at one game apiece.

Calderon (W, 4-6) enjoyed his longest outing of the season, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out seven Wood Ducks batters. He has not allowed a single run over his last 11 innings pitched and owns a 1.27 ERA over his last three outings.

The Woodpeckers starting pitcher did not have to wait long to get any run support either. In the top of the first inning against Down East starter Winston Santos (L, 7-6), Tyler Whitaker reached on an error with one away before Jacob Melton doubled to put both in scoring position. Zach Dezenzo then reached on an error which allowed Whitaker to score the game’s opening run. The next batter was Jackson Loftin who promptly doubled home both Melton and Dezenzo to grow Fayetteville’s lead to 3-0.

Melton picked up right where he left off offensively in the fifth. With two away in the inning, Melton crushed an inside changeup from Santos over everything in right field for a solo home run to add another to the Woodpeckers’ lead. His third homer of the year traveled 432 feet with an exit velocity of 107 MPH.

Fayetteville grabbed their fifth run of the ballgame an inning later when John Garcia ripped an RBI double for his first hit since joining the Woodpeckers last week. In the top of the seventh, Melton doubled once again and later scored on a balk. He finished the ballgame going 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, an RBI, and three runs scored.

Ronny Garcia (SV, 1) took over in the bottom of the seventh and got Maximo Acosta to ground into an inning-ending double play after allowing the first two batters to reach base. He then kept the Wood Ducks off the board in the eighth before generating another double play in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the shutout victory. His ERA has fallen to 0.50 with Fayetteville this season and he has not given up an earned run in 10.2 innings since returning to Single-A on August 10.

The Woodpeckers will try to take the series lead Thursday night in Kinston with just ten games left in the regular season. Fayetteville RHP AJ Blubaugh will make his first career start while experienced RHP Emiliano Teodo gets the ball for Down East. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

FULL BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/669632/final/box