Woodpeckers Hampered by Kannapolis Arms in Independence Day Game

Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (35-42, 4-5) welcomed over 5,000 fans inside of Segra Stadium Wednesday night for the annual Independance Day game, but fell short against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (46-32, 5-7) 7-2. Fayetteville never recovered after allowing three runs in the top of the third and struggled to generate much offense against the Kannapolis pitching staff.

The game stayed scoreless until the third when the Canon Ballers plated three against Yeriel Santos (L, 3-5) on a two-run single from Caden Connor and an RBI double from Arxy Hernandez. In the fifth, Kannapolis generated three more with a two-run home run by the second baseman Mikey Kane. Santos pitched 4.1 innings and surrendered five earned runs

Fayetteville was shutout over five innings by Kannapolis starter Aldrin Bautista (W, 7-3). The only Woodpeckers runs of the game came in the sixth off right hander Tyler Davis once Kannapolis turned to the bullpen. Jancel Villarroel, Kenni Gomez and Nehomar Ochoa Jr. connected for three straight singles, with Ochoa’s line drive to right field scoring a pair and cutting the game to 6-2.

The sixth-inning rally was the only one of the night as the Kannapolis relievers shut down Fayetteville the rest of the way. Davis put up a zero in the seventh and Jesus Mendez closed it down allowing two walks and one hit over a scoreless eighth and ninth.

Colby Langford put together a season-long performance on the hill. The lefty out of Oklahoma pitched three scoreless innings of relief before allowing an RBI fielder’s choice in the top of the ninth that capped the 7-2 score. Langford marked a season-high with 74 pitches and struck out seven.

The Woodpeckers continue the series with Kannapolis on the road in Kannapolis, North Carolina Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. The Fourth of July first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM and the radio broadcast will be available on fayettevillewoodpeckers.com and the MiLB App