Eighth-Inning Lead Slips from Woodpeckers in Loss

Fayetteville, NC – The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (8-11) saw a 3-2 lead slip in the eighth inning on Saturday night and dropped their fifth straight game to the Down East Wood Ducks (11-8) in a 6-3 loss at Segra Stadium.

Ricardo Balogh drove in all three of Fayetteville’s runs, providing a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, and connecting for a two-run go-ahead triple in the seventh that jumped Fayetteville in front 3-2.

Tyler Guilfoil got the start and worked four innings, striking out six and allowing a pair of runs before turning the ball over to Joey Mancini in the fifth.

Mancini (L, 0-1) looked very sharp out of the bullpen, working three hitless innings before getting tagged for four runs in the eighth. Jojo Blackmon tied the game with a double, Danyer Cueva doubled in a pair of go-ahead runs, and Konnir Piotto also doubled home a run for the 6-3 lead.

Fayetteville threatened in the ninth, loading the bases against Adrian Rodriguez (SV, 3) on a Ryan Clifford double and walks to Luis Encarnacion and Balogh. With the tying runs on base, Sandro Gaston struck out and ended the game.

The Woodpeckers will try and grab their first win of the series on Sunday in the final against Down East. Fayetteville is scheduled to start Michael Knorr (1-0, 1.54 ERA) and Down East will counter with DJ McCarty (0-0, 0.00 ERA).

FULL BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/728009/final/box