Ninth Inning Struggles Lead to 5-3 Loss on Wednesday

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Despite two solid outings from their first two pitchers, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers were outworked by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in the ninth inning, falling 5-3 Wednesday in the second of six games this week at Atrium Health Ballpark.

RHP Sean Burke began the evening for Kannapolis on the hill, dominating through 3.1 shutout innings. The former Maryland Terrapin accumulated five punchouts and walked two, allowing just one hit. RHP Angel Acevedo relieved Burke in the fourth, keeping Fayetteville neutralized with 3.2 frames, allowing one run on four hits, allowing two walks and punching out four Woodpeckers.

The Ballers wasted no time in opening the scoring. Just two batters into the bottom of the first, Bryan Ramos hit a hard line-drive to center field that narrowly cleared the wall and made it 1-0 in favor of Kannapolis.

Chase Krogman snapped his long drought of no home runs in the bottom of the second inning, crushing a fly ball into right-center field to grow the Cannon Ballers lead to 2-0.

Kannapolis grew the lead in the bottom of the fifth, getting a run across the plate via a throwing error by Fayetteville catcher Miguel Palma, allowing A.J. Gill to score and extend the lead to 3-0.

RHP Elian Rodriguez began the night on the hill for Fayetteville, firing two innings and allowing two runs on four hits while allowing three walks and punching out two. RHP Jacob DeLabio entered in the third, tossing a three-strikeout inning while also walking three. RHP Kasey Ford (1-1) is credited with the win, throwing 1.1 innings, allowing just one hit, striking out two and walking one along the way.

The Woodpeckers did not lack a fight, getting a run back in the top of the sixth on a Victor Mascai RBI single. The soft line-drive to center field permitted Justin Williams to cross the plate and cut into the Ballers lead at 3-1.

A string of offense late gave Fayetteville the chance to get back into the ballgame in the top of the ninth. After walks to Mascai and Adonis Giron, pinch-hitter Quincy Hamilton slapped a hard-hit line drive against RHP Zach Cable (L, 0-2) towards Kannapolis 2B Wilber Sanchez, who was unable to field the ball well, allowing the two runners to cross the plate and tie the game. Later in the frame, Joey Loperfido crushed a two-run home run to center field, scoring Hamilton and giving the Woodpeckers their first lead of the ballgame 5-3.

Tickets can be purchased for any remaining home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark. Fans can also keep up with the action on the team’s social media outlets, with live in-game updates being provided on twitter at @kcannonballers.