Woodpeckers Demolish Delmarva with Season-High 16 Runs
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (28-36) offense exploded for a season-best 16 runs on 16 hits in a 16-8 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds (22-41) in Tuesday’s series opener at Segra Stadium. The massive offensive effort was supported by four multi-run innings, including a big six-run sixth that put
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (28-36) offense exploded for a season-best 16 runs on 16 hits in a 16-8 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds (22-41) in Tuesday’s series opener at Segra Stadium. The massive offensive effort was supported by four multi-run innings, including a big six-run sixth that put the Woodpeckers ahead for the remainder of the night.
Fayetteville opened up a 7-2 lead after four innings, scoring three times in the bottom of the second and bottom of the fourth. A Cesar Hernandez bouncing single into right field in the fourth off Cooper McKeehan served as the capper to the early five-run advantage.
Delmarva surged all the way back with six runs in the top of the fifth. Thomas Sosa doubled home a run and Anderson De Los Santos crushed a grand slam that equalized the game at 7-7. Brayan Hernandez followed with an RBI double that provided the Shorebirds with their second lead of the night at 8-7.
Following a quiet bottom of the fifth, Fayetteville rolled to their own six-run rally in the bottom of the sixth against lefty Juan Rojas (L, 1-2). The first seven batters of the inning all reached base. Kenni Gomez tied the game with an RBI single, Nehomar Ochoa Jr. provided the lead with a two-run hit into center field, then Chase Jaworsky doubled home a run to make it 11-8. Xavier Casserilla capped the surge with a two-run double that once again put Fayetteville ahead by five, 13-8.
Ochoa, the Jani-King Cleanup Hitter, became the first Fayetteville bat to drive home five runs in a game. The 18-year-old slugged a deep three-run homer over the left field bullpen in the bottom of the seventh against Grabiel Salazar that put a bow on the 16-8 onslaught.
Alimber Santa (W, 1-1) and Wilmy Sanchez shutdown Delmarva’s lineup over the final third of the game. Santa entered in the sixth and tossed three scoreless frames. He set down eight in a row before turning the ball over to Wilmy Sanchez in the ninth. Sanchez struck out the first two hitters he faced, walked two, then got Bryan Hernandez to fly out for the final out of the game.
The series against Delmarva continues on Wednesday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 PM. Fayetteville is projected to start RHP Julio Marte and Delmarva will counter with RHP Trey Gibson.
Full Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/753984/final/box