Bush Homers Twice as Woodpeckers Take Series Lead from Pelicans
FAYETTEVILLE, NC – It was a signature night for catcher Will Bush in front of a big Saturday crowd at Segra Stadium. The 2023 Houston Astros 16th round pick belted a pair of two-run homers and drove in five runs to lead the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (55-74, 26-37) to an 11-5
FAYETTEVILLE, NC – It was a signature night for catcher Will Bush in front of a big Saturday crowd at Segra Stadium. The 2023 Houston Astros 16th round pick belted a pair of two-run homers and drove in five runs to lead the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (55-74, 26-37) to an 11-5 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (61-67, 32-30). The Woodpeckers now have the upper hand in their final series of 2024 as they look to win all three series against Myrtle Beach on the season.
Fayetteville took advantage of a rough start from Pelicans starter JP Wheat (L, 0-2). The righthander struggled with command early and walked three of the first four batters he faced to load the bases in the bottom of the third. Wheat then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Jancel Villarroel to make it 1-0 Woodpeckers. After a fourth walk issued to Lucas Spence, a potential double play went awry for Myrtle Beach when a missed catch by Eriandys Ramon slipped into the outfield to score two more Fayetteville runs. Wheat was pulled from the game in favor of Alfredo Romero, who promptly fired a wild pitch to the backstop that scored Spence to end a four-run frame.
On the other side, Woodpeckers starter Bryce Mayer tossed three steady innings, allowing just one run on a third inning RBI groundout for Alfonsin Rosario. He handed the ball off to the returning Juan Nunez (W, 2-0), who gave up one unearned run in two relief frames while striking out four in his first game actions since August 18.
With the score at 4-1, Bush came to the plate in the fourth with Jason Schiavone at first following a leadoff single. The Fayetteville catcher pummeled a fastball from Romero over the wall in right for his seventh long ball of the season to push the Woodpeckers’ lead to five. After the Pelicans got one back in the top of the fifth, Bush left the yard once again, this time off Mathew Peters to push the lead to 8-2. It was just the second time that a Woodpecker hit a pair of home runs in one game as Bush joined Chase Jaworsky, who homered twice on Mother’s Day at Segra against Carolina.
Fayetteville scored for a third straight inning in the sixth thanks to a Spence RBI single. Myrtle Beach then inched closer in the top of the seventh with a three-run outburst against Raimy Rodriguez, headlined by a two-run Owen Ayers double. However, the Woodpeckers stretched the lead back out with two more runs in the eighth, including a Will Bush bases loaded walk to give him five RBIs. He joins Nehomar Ochoa Jr. as the only two Fayetteville hitters to eclipse five runs batted in in a single game this season. Joan Ogando took the hill in the ninth and recorded the final three outs without incident.
The Woodpeckers wrap up their 2024 season on Sunday evening with Fan Appreciation Night at Segra Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 PM with postgame fireworks immediately following the game’s conclusion.