KINSTON, NC - A masterful start by Jonathan Hernández was discarded in extra innings as the Wood Ducks (2-2, 26-47) dropped the series opener 4-2 with the Dash (4-1, 28-47). Hernandez fired seven shutout innings while only allowing one hit with eight strikeouts.
KINSTON, NC - A masterful start by Jonathan Hernández was discarded in extra innings as the Wood Ducks (2-2, 26-47) dropped the series opener 4-2 with the Dash (4-1, 28-47). Hernandez fired seven shutout innings while only allowing one hit with eight strikeouts.
While Hernandez was in command during his start, the offense was late-arriving against Dash starter Alec Hansen. The right-hander, fresh off his promotion from Low-A Kannapolis, worked five shutout innings of his own with five strikeouts to boot.
Hernandez carried a no-hitter (a walk in the fourth) to the sixth inning until Johan Cruz led off with a single to right. He would not advance as Hernandez struck out four of his last five batters to stymie the Dash bats.
Yet when he exited, the game was 0-0. In the bottom of the seventh Josh Altmann led off with his second double of the game and was bunted to third by Brallan Perez. With the infield in, Arturo Lara hit a swinging bunt in front of home and Altmann broke for it. He slid in just ahead of Ian Hamilton's throw to score the first run of the game.
Adam Choplick would relieve Hernandez in the eight and work a scoreless frame. The Woodies added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning on a Yanio Perez sac fly to set the score at 2-0.
The top of the order was due up for the Dash and Jameson Fisher led off with a single. Choplick struck out Luis Basabe before he was lifted for Tyler Ferguson. He struck out the first batter he saw on three pitches for the second out of the inning.
Zack Collins pinch-hit for Toby Thomas and knocked a single to right field with a "no doubles" alignment. Fisher was held up at third, but LeDarious Clark's throw in from right caught Lara by surprise and deflected behind second - allowing Collins to advance to second on the error.
Next was Brady Conlan and he blooped a broken-bat double to left-center to tie the game. The Wood Ducks went down in order in the bottom half to send the game to extra innings.
Ferguson returned to the mound and hit Landon Lassiter. He would steal second then was sacrificed over to third by Johan Cruz. With the infield in, Danny Mendick hit a two-hopper directly at Lara at short and Lassiter tried for home. A pickle ensued and the Woodies won for the second out. Mendick got to second on the play but Fisher was next and he walked with a full count.
Grant Zawadzki emerged for his home debut and Basabe ambushed on the first pitch he saw for a double to deep left to score two runs - which was enough to claim the win.
Game two of the series comes on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. Lefty Jeffrey Springs (1-6, 4.75) will go for Down East, and he will be countered by right-hander Brannon Easterling (4-4, 4.30). You can listen to every pitch of the 2017 season live on Sports/Talk 960 The Bull or streamed on the TuneIn Radio app.
