Woodpecker Pitching Stifles Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - Woodpecker pitching was once again dominant, as Fayetteville held the FredNats to just one run in a 5-1 defeat for Fredericksburg. Fayetteville is now 9-4, while the Nats dropped to 7-6.

Jarlin Susana got the start for Fredericksburg, but struggled in the top of the first inning. He surrendered a leadoff walk, then later hit a man to put two Woodpeckers on base. Juan Santander then shot a single back up the middle to give Fayetteville an early 1-0 edge. Another single loaded the bases, before Nehomar Ochoa Jr. unloaded them with a three-run double down the right field line, as the Woodpeckers opened up a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, Gavin Dugas tried to right the ship with a one-out single, and then Elijah Green reached on a fielding error, with an additional throwing error allowing Dugas to move on to third base. Roismar Quintana was able to get Dugas home with an RBI groundout, but the Nats could only manage that one run in the inning.

That proved to be plenty of breathing room for Fayetteville’s Alain Peña. The slim righty tossed four complete frames with just the one unearned run against him, while striking out six FredNats.

Fayetteville tacked on to their lead in the top of the fifth inning, against Mikey Tepper. He surrendered a leadoff double to Chase Jaworsky. The Woodpecker shortstop then stole third base, and an errant throw allowed him to dash home to make it a 5-1 lead.

The FredNats were largely unable to solve the Woodpecker bullpen, as the combination of Abel Mercedes and Yeriel Santos allowed just one base runner in five shutdown innings to lock down a 5-1 Woodpecker win. Mercedes (1-0) earned the win, Santos took home his first save, while Jarlin Susana (2-0) took the loss.

In game five, Marc Davis (0-0, 7.94) squares off against Fayetteville’s Derek True (0-0, 1.23) in a 7:05 start.