Pimentel's Grand Slam Key in 5-2 Win

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - Brandon Pimentel’s first inning grand slam got the FredNats off to a hot start, and they never looked back in a 5-2 win over the Woodpeckers. Fredericksburg improved to 8-6 with the win, and Fayetteville is now 9-5.

Marc Davis spun a scoreless top of the first, before the Nationals jumped on Fayetteville starter Derek True. Phillip Glasser ripped a first-pitch single as the leadoff man in the first, then Gavin Dugas walked and Cristhian Vaquero was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Brandon Pimentel. The lefty slugger took a called strike one, and then blasted the next pitch over the right field wall for a grand slam. It was Pimentel’s second slam this season, as the Freddies jumped ahead 4-0..

Armed with a lead now, Davis attacked Fayetteville hitters. He struck out two Woodpeckers in the second inning, and induced an inning-ending double play in the third, which wrapped up his outing. All told, Marc Davis tossed three scoreless and hitless innings, with three strikeouts.

True did settle down after the first inning, as he went on to complete 4.1 innings of work with no further damage apart from the grand slam.

In the top of the fifth, Fayetteville got on the board against Miguel Gomez. Nehomar Ochoa Jr. pulled a one-out double down the left field line, then later in the inning, Will Bush doubled as well to plate the first Woodpecker run of the evening.

But in the home half, Fredericksburg struck back. After a strikeout and a pitching change, Phillip Glasser deposited an 0-1 pitch way beyond the right field wall to make it 5-1 FredNats.

The Woodpeckers scraped across another run in the top of the seventh inning, against Merrick Baldo. Oliver Carrillo led off with a single, and Chase Jaworsky walked behind him. Then, a pair of infield grounders brought Carrillo around to score from second base, pulling Fayetteville within three runs.

Baldo fired a scoreless eighth inning after that, before Thomas Schultz closed the door in the ninth inning to secure a 5-2 FredNat win. Miguel Gomez (1-0) got the victory, Derek True (0-1) was the losing pitcher, and Schultz secured his third save.