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Torres K's Eight in First "Virtual" Win in Franchise History

April 9, 2020

The Fayetteville Woodpeckers put one in the win column with an opening day 6-4 triumph over the Frederick Keys. The sellout crowd at their homes watched shortstop Freudis Nova put on a fine performance, drilling a decisive three-run homer in the seventh as part of a four RBI night. Astros'

The Fayetteville Woodpeckers put one in the win column with an opening day 6-4 triumph over the Frederick Keys. The sellout crowd at their homes watched shortstop Freudis Nova put on a fine performance, drilling a decisive three-run homer in the seventh as part of a four RBI night. Astros' 2019 third-rounder Jordan Brewer helped out the Fayetteville cause in the bottom of the seventh inning with a go-ahead sacrifice fly that broke a 1-1 tie.
Nova, the Astros' No. 4 pre-season prospect per MLB.com, finished with three hits in his Woodpeckers debut, also knocking in the game's first run on a triple that plated Luis Santana from first base after the Fayetteville second baseman reached on a four-pitch walk to open the inning.
Opening night starter Jojanse Torres set the tone for the Woodpeckers in an early pitchers duel, scattering just three hits over five scoreless innings to start the night before allowing a solo shot to Kyle Stowers that pulled the Keys even in the sixth. The 24-year-old, who made 17 appearances with the Woodpeckers last season, finished 6.1 innings with eight punchouts and left in a tie ballgame.
After collecting just three hits over the first five innings, the Fayetteville bats woke up when center fielder Alex McKenna laced an 0-1 pitch in front of the right fielder to spark the seventh inning rally. Scott Schreiber was promptly hit by a pitch in the next at-bat. After a Scott Manea pop out, David Hensley roped the second single of the inning to fill the bases with Woodpeckers with one away before Brewer delivered to grab the lead back. Santana drilled a run-scoring double in the gap to set-up Nova's decisive home run, the 14th of the young Dominican prospect's pro career.
Things got dicey in the ninth for the Woodpeckers as fireballer Jose Alberto Rivera came back out for a fourth inning in relief and promptly walked the first two Frederick batters of the inning. In came Willy Collado to close down the game. A throwing error by Nova loaded up the bases with nobody out and second baseman Garrett Schubert reached on an infield single to score a run before an out had been recorded, making it 6-2. Cadyn Grenier got the Keys within a pair with a two-run double, but Collado worked around the inherited traffic to send the Woodpeckers fans to bed happy.