The Fayetteville Woodpeckers ran into their continued woes in Kinston on Tuesday, as they dropped a series opening contest with the Down East Wood Ducks, 5-3. Fayetteville scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game, but the offense went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position following the early
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers ran into their continued woes in Kinston on Tuesday, as they dropped a series opening contest with the Down East Wood Ducks, 5-3. Fayetteville scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game, but the offense went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position following the early strike. Wood Ducks infielder Sherten Apostel smacked two home runs to knock out Fayetteville, as the Woodpeckers have still failed to win a game at Grainger Stadium.
Two pitches into the night, Jeremy Pena pulled a double up the left field line against Wood Ducks starter Reid Anderson, Pena quickly scored on a single by Ross Adolph to give Fayetteville the quick lead before any outs were recorded. While Fayetteville collected another quick hit, the single run was all the offense could manage in the frame. Fayetteville notched a couple of base hits against Anderson in the second inning, but they couldn't manage another run until the fifth frame. While Down East had taken a one-run lead, Fayetteville loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks, and the Woodpeckers tied the game back up when Chandler Taylor grounded out to first base, allowing the runner at third base to score. After tossing over 100 pitches, Anderson was replaced by Jefferson Medina out of the bullpen, who tossed a perfect seventh inning. Fayetteville came within inches of a lead in the eighth inning after Taylor was hit by a pitch to open the frame, went on to steal second, and advance to third base on a fly out. Taylor was thrown out at home, however, on a grounder to third base. Medina (W, 3-1) was replaced by Joe Kuzia to polish off the game for Down East, as Kuzia (SV,18) tossed a perfect ninth inning.
Following his record 13-strikeout performance against Down East, Luis Garcia started strong with a pair of strikeouts in the first inning, but he allowed a home run to Sherten Apostel on the first pitch of the second inning to tie the game. Following a single and a wild pitch in the same frame, Garcia surrendered a single to Yani Perez which gave Down East the lead. As the second inning taxed Garcia's arm, the right-hander was only able to last four innings for Fayetteville, and Garcia had to hand it off to JP France afterward. France walked the first three batters of the fifth inning, but he was saved on a diving double play at third base, when Miguelangel Sierra recorded an unassisted force and threw the ball home to save France. Following a perfect sixth inning, France was lifted after walking a batter with two outs in the seventh frame. Cesar Rosado stranded the inherited runner, but he fell apart in the eighth inning. Rosado (L, 2-7) walked the leadoff batter in the frame, followed by a quick RBI double by Yohel Pozo that gave Down East the lead once again. The trouble was not done for Rosado, however, as the right-hander then allowed a two-run blast to Apostel, Sherten's second of the game. It being only the second multi-homer game allowed by Fayetteville pitching this season, the three-run inning doomed Fayetteville.
Coupling the loss with a Myrtle Beach win, Fayetteville holds just a one game lead in the wild card race for the 2019 playoffs, and the Woodpeckers are now 3 ½ games behind Down East for the top spot in the South Division for the second half. Fayetteville will take a fifth try at their first win in Kinston on Wednesday in the middle game of the series, with the first pitch from Grainger Stadium scheduled for 7:00PM.
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are the Advanced Single-A affiliate of the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros and play in their Inaugural Season at beautiful Segra Stadium in downtown Fayetteville. Segra Stadium, a $40 million state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, features space for over 5,200 fans, natural grass, a 25x70 LED video scoreboard, six luxury suites, four field boxes, the premium AEVEX Veterans Club level, Healy's Bar and outdoor party deck, a kid's zone, and more. With a rich history of baseball in the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, the Woodpeckers are thrilled to write a new chapter with their inaugural campaign on Hay Street. Fans are encouraged to visit FayettevilleWoodpeckers.com to purchase tickets, learn more about the team, and find out about upcoming events and promotions at the ballpark. Fans may also reach the Woodpeckers by visiting the BB&T Box Office in front of Segra Stadium, calling (910) 339-1989, or emailing [email protected].
