Chaotic Ninth Allows Woodpeckers to Complete Comeback Win over Mudcats
Zebulon, NC – Trailing 4-1 after seven innings Friday night, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (23-32) rallied to score six runs over the final two frames to stun the Carolina Mudcats by a 7-5 final score at Five County Stadium. The Woodpeckers have now won four in a row and have beaten
Zebulon, NC – Trailing 4-1 after seven innings Friday night, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (23-32) rallied to score six runs over the final two frames to stun the Carolina Mudcats by a 7-5 final score at Five County Stadium. The Woodpeckers have now won four in a row and have beaten the Mudcats in five of seven games to start the season series.
Carolina picked up a pair of runs in the first inning and another in the third against Fayetteville starter Trey Dombroski, two of which were unearned. Austin Temple came on with two outs in the fifth to relieve Dombroski and surrendered an RBI double to Jadher Areinamo that built a 4-0 lead for the Mudcats.
The comeback began for the Woodpeckers in the top of the sixth inning when Narbe Cruz drove in Jackson Loftin on a groundout. Then in the eighth, it was Cruz again with a double off the wall in left that drove in Zach Cole to bring Fayetteville within a pair. A wild pitch allowed Ricardo Balogh to score before John Garcia hustled out a close play at first that in turn brought home the tying run.
After Manuel Urias (W, 2-0) escaped a jam in the bottom of the eighth, the Woodpeckers set their sights on the lead in the ninth. Against Carolina reliever Tanner Shears (L, 1-1), Cole grounded a single to right before Loftin was hit by a pitch. A Shears wild pitch put both men in scoring position, leading to an intentional walk of Balogh to load the bases. With Cruz up, Shears lost control of two more pitches that scored Cole and Loftin and Balogh came in on a balk to quickly give Fayetteville a 7-4 lead. Urias returned to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and surrendered a solo shot to Luke Adams before closing out the win.
The Woodpeckers seek their fifth straight victory on Saturday evening, sending LHP Jose Nodal to the mound. The Mudcats’ starter is to be determined as they try to end their skid. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 ET.