For the 19th time this season the Woodpeckers pitching staff struck out ten or more batters in a game, earning 12 in the Thursday night win over the Hillcats. Colton Shaver continued his five-game hit streak with a 2-RBI single in the first inning. Seth Beer ended Fayetteville's six game
For the 19th time this season the Woodpeckers pitching staff struck out ten or more batters in a game, earning 12 in the Thursday night win over the Hillcats. Colton Shaver continued his five-game hit streak with a 2-RBI single in the first inning. Seth Beer ended Fayetteville's six game power outage with his fifth bomb of the season and the Woodpeckers soared to a 4-2 victory at home.
The 'Peckers started the night in the bottom of the first by drawing back-to-back walks from Jacob Meyers and Micheal Papierski against Hillcats' starter Adam Scott (2-3). Fayetteville capitalized on the opening walks when Seth Beer singled to center field and brought in Meyers for the first run of the game. Jake Adams followed Beer with a single of his own to load the bases for Woodpeckers' infielder Colton Shaver. The Fayetteville slugger did his damage by blasting a two-bagger that sent both Papierski and Beer across home plate and extended the Woodpeckers lead to 3-0. Adams and Shaver were left stranded after Scott finally found his stride and retired the next three batters he faced to stop the bleeding after just one inning of play.
Fayetteville starter Cristian Javier got off to a rocky start by walking the first two batters he saw as well however, he retired the next six Hillcats he faced and didn't give up a hit until the top of the third inning. It was Lynchburg's Steven Kwan who finally registered a hit versus Javier knocking a two-bagger with one out in the top of the third. Kwan was left stranded at third as Javier continued to deal and finished the frame holding the Hillcats scoreless.
Seth Beer gave his starting hurler some assurance in the bottom of the third as the Astros' first round pick went yard on a solo shot to move the Fayetteville lead to 4-0 going into the top of the fourth. Beer's bomb was the first homer for the Woodpeckers in the last 195 at bats, just over six games.
The Lynchburg offense started to show signs of life in the top of the fourth. Mike Rivera led off by smacking a double on Javier to put a runner in scoring position right away for the Hillcats. Javier immediately sent down the next two batters he faced, however caught an unlucky break when Luke Wakamatsu flew out to right field and Jacob Meyers dropped a fly ball. That error allowed for Rivera to score the first run of the game for Lynchburg and cut the Woodpeckers lead to 3. While that ruined the scoreless outing for Javier, the error in the outfield for Fayetteville meant the run is marked as unearned.
Cristian Javier continued on the mound into the fifth inning, forcing two outs, but was pulled after pitching 4 2/3 innings and striking out six. Woodpeckers reliever Leovanny Rodriguez (2-2) was called upon to make the final out of the inning and he did so quickly by striking out the first batter faced in Rivera.
The Hillcats offense did tack on a run against Rodriguez to slice the lead to two in the top of the seventh. Oscar Gonzalez scored Austen Wade to make it league leading 25 RBIs on the year and five in the last three games for the Lynchburg outfielder. That was however the last time either team would score on Thirsty Thursday. Jose Bravo cemented the win for the Woodpeckers and earned his first save of the year, fanning the side in the bottom of the eighth. Bravo also faced the minimum through two innings of work in his fourth relief appearance for the Woodpeckers.
Fayetteville split the four-game tilt, two games apiece against Lynchburg at Segra Stadium. The Woodpeckers bump their record to 15-13 on the year with tonights win. Next up the 'Peckers focus on the Down East Wood Ducks for the next three days. First pitch from downtown Fayetteville is set for 7:00pm.
