Molina’s Go-Ahead Single Leads Woodpeckers to Third Straight Victory
Kannapolis, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (15-21) lost a four-run lead late, but Leosdany Molina came up clutch in the top of the ninth with a two-out, go-ahead RBI single to give the Woodpeckers a 5-4 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (17-19) Thursday night. Fayetteville has now won a
Kannapolis, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (15-21) lost a four-run lead late, but Leosdany Molina came up clutch in the top of the ninth with a two-out, go-ahead RBI single to give the Woodpeckers a 5-4 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (17-19) Thursday night. Fayetteville has now won a season-high three games in a row and has pulled within two games of Kannapolis in the Carolina League standings
The Woodpeckers quickly built their biggest lead of the series early on. Freddy Guilamo got the offense going with an RBI ground rule double in the top of the second to make it 1-0. With a runner on in the following inning, Quincy Hamilton launched his sixth home run of the season off of Cannon Ballers starter Tommy Sommer to push the lead to three. Victor Mascai followed that up with his fifth long ball of the season in the fourth, a solo shot, for the 4-0 advantage.
Kannapolis was shut down through the first six innings thanks in large part to a strong 2022 debut from Woodpeckers starter Rhett Kouba, who went 3.1 scoreless innings allowing just one hit while fanning four. But the Cannon Ballers’ bats woke up in the seventh as they picked up three runs against Edinson Batista. However, Batista escaped a bases loaded jam to strand the tying run on third. In the bottom of the eighth, a wild pitch from Freylin Garica (W, 1-0) brought in Chase Krogman to even things at four.
With the game tied in the top of the ninth, Logan Cerny drew a two-out walk before swiping second. He then advanced to third on a wild pitch with Molina at the plate. Fayetteville’s shortstop worked the count full before lining one into left to plate Cerny for the lead. Garcia came back out for the bottom half and retired all three batters he faced to earn his first win of the season.
The Woodpeckers aim for their fourth straight win and look to secure their first series win of 2022 Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. RHP Shea Barry gets the start for Fayetteville while Kannapolis will give the ball to LHP Brooks Gosswein. First pitch is at 7:05 ET.