Ninth Inning Comeback Stopped Short in 5-4 Defeat
KANNAPOLIS, NC - Trailing by a pair of runs late, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (17-27) loaded the bases in the ninth but were unable to complete a comeback, falling to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (13-32) 5-4 on Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. Fayetteville’s offense broke out with three runs against
KANNAPOLIS, NC - Trailing by a pair of runs late, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (17-27) loaded the bases in the ninth but were unable to complete a comeback, falling to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (13-32) 5-4 on Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.
Fayetteville’s offense broke out with three runs against Kannapolis starter Bailey Horn in the opening frame. Shay Whitcomb started the game with a single and Jordan Brewer reached on a fielding error. J.C. Correa opened the scoring with a two-run double and Nerio Rodriguez made it 3-0 with a RBI single.
Josh James was spotted the early lead for his big league rehab assignment. The Astros right hander worked one inning, allowed a hit, walk, and struck out Lency Delgado Jr. to close a scoreless first inning. His fastball topped out at 97 mph on 19 pitches and 10 strikes.
Jayson Schroeder emerged from the bullpen behind James, struck out two in a scoreless inning, but allowed three Kannapolis runs in the third that tied the game at 3-3.
Fabricio Reina (L, 0-2) loaded the bases in the fifth with two hit batters and a single, then issued a walk to Jose Rodriguez that put Kannapolis ahead 4-3. Reina was lifted from the game in the sixth, and Ernesto Jaquez allowed an inherited runner to score on a Harvin Mendoza single.
Luis Vega was the sixth arm of the night to pitch and held the deficit at two-runs, striking out the final five batters he faced over a scoreless eighth and ninth inning.
Trailing 5-3 in the eighth, Whitcomb and Brewer both reached scoring position, but were stranded after Correa grounded out to third and Rodriguez flied out to center off Jordan Mikel. Mikel loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and departed in favor of Tyson Messer (S,1). Messer hit Whitcomb with a pitch to make it a 5-4 game, but recovered with a strikeout of Brewer to close the night.
The series continues on Saturday with first pitch at 7:00 p.m. ET. RHP Cesar Gomez is scheduled to start for Fayetteville and Kannapolis will throw RHP Angel Acevedo.
FULL BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/woodpeckers-vs-cannon-ballers/2021/06/25/649071#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=649071