Seventh-Inning Surge Earns Woodpeckers Comeback Victory Over Charleston

Fayetteville, NC – The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (5-3) overcame a 4-2 deficit with a six-run bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday night, pulling off a 9-4 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs (4-4) in front of over 5,500 fans at Segra Stadium. Luis Encarnacion was the main engine in the heart of the order, going 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.

Charleston settled in with six efficient innings on the mound between starter Chandler Murphy and reliever Seth Chavez. The pair allowed just two runs combined, surrendering an RBI single to Chase Jaworsky in the first inning, then a solo home run to Encarnacion in the sixth.

Encarnacion’s blast to right field cut the game to 3-2, but Charleston’s Noah Myers quickly countered with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.

Fayetteville sparked the rally in the home seventh inning while trailing 4-2. Engert Garcia (L, 0-1) struggled to command the zone, loading the bases with no outs on a single from Alejandro Nunez and consecutive walks issued to Luis Perez and Alberto Hernandez. Kenni Gomez delivered the game-tying swing with a two-run single to right field, and Oliver Carrillo followed with a bouncer to the left side that was booted by Carlos Colmenarez and scored Hernandez from third for the 5-4 lead.

Runs continued to flow home with two outs in the inning. Jaworsky connected for a bases loaded single, his second hit of the night, which scored Gomez for the 6-4 lead. Will Bush followed as the ninth hitter of the inning and lashed a liner to right center for two more runs and an 8-4 cushion.

Encarnacion rounded out his four-hit night with an RBI single in the eighth inning, scoring Hernandez as the insurance run in a 9-4 final. It marked the first four-hit game for a Fayetteville bat this season.

Alain Pena (W, 1-0) maneuvered through the Charleston lineup while being spotted the lead. The 21-year-old right hander from Tamaulipas, Mexico entered in the sixth, pitched 4.0 innings of one-run ball and struck out six RiverDogs, including three in the top of the ninth to complete the win and lock a series split.

The six-game home series concludes on Sunday night with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM. It’s Bunkers Birthday plus Family Funday Sunday where kids can run the bases after the game. Tickets are available at https://www.milb.com/fayetteville/tickets/single-game-tickets

Full Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/754010/final/box