Starting Pitching Reigns Supreme in Double-Header Split with Kannapolis

GAME 1

Fayetteville, NC - Woodpeckers starting pitcher Deylen Miley (W, 2-1) was locked in from the start as the right-hander went five scoreless innings allowing just two hits while striking out seven Kannapolis batters. Miley retired the first 11 batters of the ballgame, the longest streak to begin a game this season from a Fayetteville starting pitcher.

Miley got run support thanks to a pair of big swings from his teammates. Leading off the bottom of the third, Freddy Guilamo launched his first home run of the season into the Woodpeckers bullpen to give Fayetteville the 1-0 lead. One inning later, Kenedy Corona stepped up to the plate with the bases empty and hit a solo shot of his own to left field to double the lead. It was Corona’s second home run of the season and his fifth run batted in over the last three games.

Manager Joe Thon turned to RHP Jayson Schroeder (SV, 1) out of the bullpen in the sixth. After Cannon Ballers shortstop Wilber Sanchez walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch, Schroeder settled down to keep the lead with the Woodpeckers, 2-1. The righty would come back out for the seventh and, despite surrendering a leadoff double, retired the final three hitters he faced to secure the win for Fayetteville. This marked the first save of Schroeder’s minor league career.

Game 1 Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/669621/final/box

GAME 2

Fayetteville, NC- The Woodpeckers (6-12) offense struggled to get anything going against Cristian Mena (W, 1-1), who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and pitched the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (9-9) to a 3-0 victory. Cody Orr was the only hitter to reach base in the game, walking in the second inning and breaking up the no-hit bid with a seventh inning single.

Alex Santos (L, 0-2) started his day with a 1-2-3 first inning, closing the frame with consecutive strikeouts of Wilber Sanchez and D.J. Gladney. Santos worked around walks in the second and third before Kannapolis struck for all three of their runs in the fourth. Wilfred Veras hit a solo HR with one out and Samil Polanco and Ivan Gonzalez linked together consecutive base hits. With two outs in the inning, Misael Gonzalez delivered a big two-run single to jump the score to 3-0.

Jacob Coats replaced Santos in the fifth and retired nine of the ten batters he faced with three scoreless innings in relief.

Even with Coats holding the deficit, the Woodpeckers couldn’t solve Mena, who struck out the side in the fifth and struck out a total of ten hitters before turning the game over to Haylen Green (SV, 1). Green struck out Tyler Whitaker and coaxed a flyout from Miguel Palma to seal the game.

The series continues on Friday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM ET. The Woodpeckers will start RHP Bryant Salgado (0-2, 11.42 ERA) and Kannapolis will counter with RHP Jared Kelley (0-1, 7.71 ERA).

Game 2 Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/669624/final/box