FAYETTEVILLE – Gabe Holt reached safely five times and went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, but the Mudcats failed to overcome a six run Fayetteville fifth while losing their seventh straight game 9-7 to the Woodpeckers in Fayetteville on Friday night at SEGRA Stadium.

The Mudcats (23-23) scored twice in the first to open the ballgame and had a 3-1 lead through the second before Justin Dirden hit a game-tying home run off Carolina starter Abner Uribe in the third. The game was tied at three going into the fifth before the Woodpeckers (22-29) scored six times against reliever Brendan Murphy to take a 9-3 lead in the fifth. Those six runs ended up being enough as Fayetteville held on for a 9-7 victory while handing Carolina its seventh straight loss.

Uribe went two and 2/3 in his start and allowed three runs on three hits, with his third and final hit allowed being Dirden’s homer. Dirden went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs in the game for the Woodpeckers.

Murphy (3-3, 5.92) followed Uribe in the third and went on to work into the fifth before being knocked out of the game. In all, Murphy allowed six runs on five hits over an inning and 2/3. He also walked three and struck out three while taking the loss.

Fayetteville’s Nerio Rodriguez broke the 3-3 tie with a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth. Rodriguez ended up going 3-for-4 overall with two runs and two RBI in the game. Yeuris Ramirez also had a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-4 with a two-run double that lifted the Woodpeckers to a 7-3 lead and knocked Murhpy out of the game in the fifth. Juan Geraldo followed and went on to allow two inherited runners to score before settling in and pitching the remained of the game. Geraldo worked through three and 2/3 innings and did not allow a run while scattering four hits and striking out four.

The Mudcats trailed 9-3 after the fifth, but went on to score once in the seventh and three times in the ninth while cutting into the lead late in the game. Carolina scored once in the seventh to cut the lead to 9-4 and added three in the ninth to make it 9-7. It was the second straight game where the Mudcats scored three runs in in the final frame before losing in Fayetteville.

Holt started the first, seventh and ninth innings by reaching safely to before later scoring runs for the Mudcats. Holt walked and scored on a RBI single from Felix Valerio in the first. He also singled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Valerio in the seventh and singled before scoring in the ninth on a RBI hit from Joe Gray Jr.

In all, Holt reached base safely five times while going 3-for-3 with three runs and two walks. Gray, who also scored in the ninth on a wild pitch, ended up going 1-for-4 with a RBI (his league leading 51st of the season) single and a run scored. Freddy Zamora singled and scored in the ninth while going 2-for-5 with two runs in the game.

Julio Robaina allowed the three Carolina runs in the ninth and allowed four runs overall on eight hits before leaving the game. Robaina (2-0, 6.86) ended up with the win after pitching through five and 2/3 innings. He also walked one and struck out five. Diosmerky Taveras started and gave up three runs on three hits over three and 1/3 innings.

The series will continue on Saturday night with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Fayetteville. The Woodpeckers lead the current seven-game series five games to none.

HOME RUNS:

Fayetteville HR : Dirden (6, 3rd inning off Uribe, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Holt, 3B (Carolina): 3-for-3, 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Zamora, SS (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Valerio, F, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Wiemer, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Correa, SS (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Rodriguez, Ne, DH (Fayetteville): 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Dirden, RF (Fayetteville): 1-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Geraldo (Carolina): 3.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Robaina (W, 2-0) (Fayetteville): 5.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Woodpeckers 0) -- Gabe Holt walks. Freddy Zamora singles through the hole at shortstop, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. hit by pitch, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Felix Valerio singles to center field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Joe Gray Jr. to 2nd. Zavier Warren strikes out on foul tip. Wild pitch by Diosmerky Taveras, Freddy Zamora scores; Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging. Joey Wiemer strikes out swinging.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Woodpeckers 1st (Mudcats 2, Woodpeckers 1) -- Jordan Brewer strikes out swinging. Nathan Perry hit by pitch. J.C. Correa doubles to right-center field, Nathan Perry to 3rd. Nerio Rodriguez singles to shallow center field, Nathan Perry scores; J.C. Correa to 3rd. Justin Dirden strikes out swinging. Sean Mendoza grounds out, Freddy Zamora to Ernesto Martinez.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 1) -- Darrien Miller singles through the hole at second base. Noah Campbell walks, Darrien Miller to 2nd. Gabe Holt walks, Darrien Miller to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Freddy Zamora grounds into double play, Yohander Martinez to J.C. Correa to Yeuris Ramirez, Darrien Miller scores; Noah Campbell to 3rd; Gabe Holt out at 2nd, Freddy Zamora out at 1st. Joe Gray Jr. grounds out, J.C. Correa to Yeuris Ramirez.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 3rd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 3) -- Nathan Perry flies out to Joe Gray Jr. J.C. Correa flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Nerio Rodriguez walks. Justin Dirden hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch, Nerio Rodriguez scores. Pitcher Change: Brendan Murphy replaces Abner Uribe. Sean Mendoza doubles to left-center field. Ronaldo Urdaneta strikes out swinging.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 5th (Woodpeckers 9, Mudcats 3) -- Nathan Perry walks. J.C. Correa singles up the middle, Nathan Perry to 2nd. Nerio Rodriguez singles to left-center field, Nathan Perry scores; J.C. Correa to 2nd. Justin Dirden walks, J.C. Correa to 3rd; Nerio Rodriguez to 2nd. Sean Mendoza walks, J.C. Correa scores; Nerio Rodriguez to 3rd; Justin Dirden to 2nd. Ronaldo Urdaneta struck out looking. Yeuris Ramirez doubles down the left-field line, Nerio Rodriguez scores; Justin Dirden scores; Sean Mendoza to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Juan Geraldo replaces Brendan Murphy. Yohander Martinez reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Felix Valerio, Sean Mendoza scores; Yeuris Ramirez to 3rd. Jordan Brewer singles to right-center field, Yeuris Ramirez scores; Yohander Martinez to 2nd. Nathan Perry strikes out swinging. J.C. Correa pops out to Felix Valerio.

(6 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Woodpeckers 9, Mudcats 4) -- Gabe Holt singles up the middle. Freddy Zamora reaches on throwing error by Julio Robaina, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. grounds into a force out, J.C. Correa to Yohander Martinez, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora out at 2nd. Felix Valerio out on a sacrifice fly to Justin Dirden, Gabe Holt scores; Joe Gray Jr. to 2nd. Zavier Warren grounds out, Julio Robaina to Yeuris Ramirez.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Woodpeckers 9, Mudcats 7) -- Gabe Holt singles to center field. Freddy Zamora singles up the middle, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. singles to center field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Felix Valerio flies out to Jordan Brewer, Freddy Zamora to 3rd. Zavier Warren doubles to left-center field, Freddy Zamora scores; Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging, Nathan Perry to Yeuris Ramirez. Joey Wiemer walks, Joe Gray Jr. scores; Zavier Warren to 3rd;wild pitch by Julio Robaina. Darrien Miller lines out to Yeuris Ramirez.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)