Diaz and Neyens Go Deep in Loss to Charleston
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-7) held a lead in the middle innings on Saturday night before the Charleston RiverDogs (5-3) stormed back with five unanswered runs and handed Fayetteville a 6-3 defeat. Fayetteville has lost all five games of the series and seven of their first eight to
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-7) held a lead in the middle innings on Saturday night before the Charleston RiverDogs (5-3) stormed back with five unanswered runs and handed Fayetteville a 6-3 defeat. Fayetteville has lost all five games of the series and seven of their first eight to start the season.
Ethan Pecko made his second minor league rehab start with Fayetteville and settled in after allowing a homer on the first batter of the game. Pecko struck out three over three innings and surrendered the lone run along with two hits. The Astros second overall pitching prospect topped out at 93 MPH with his fastball and has not issued a walk across his first 5.0 innings of the season.
Nick Monistere quickly leveled the game in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice-fly and Camilo Diaz provided the 2-1 lead with a second inning solo homer.
First-round pick Xavier Neyens added on the bottom of the fifth with a line drive solo homer to right field, his first as a pro ballplayer. The blistering shot left the bat at over 116 MPH, Fayetteville’s highest exit velocity from any swing on the season.
Charleston started their comeback in the top of the sixth while facing Jesus Carrera (L, 0-1). Cooper Flemming and Brody Donay extended the inning with back-to-back two out walks, then Daniel Pierce capitalized with a go-ahead three-run homer to left field for the 4-3 Charleston lead.
Two more scored in the seventh against Curtis Hebert on an RBI single from Brendan Summerhill and an RBI triple from Caden Bodine.
The combo of Mason Auer, Brayden Shaffer and Jacob Hartlaub (SV, 1) held the lead the rest of the way with four scoreless innings of bullpen work.
The Woodpeckers will try and avoid the sweep in Sunday’s series conclusion scheduled for a 5:05 PM first pitch. Fayetteville is projected to start RHP Aubrey Smith opposite former UNC Tar Heel RHP Aidan Haugh for Charleston.