Fayetteville Pulls Off Three-Game Sweep of First-Place Charleston

Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (42-28) used an eighth inning rally to grab a 3-2 victory and complete a three-game series sweep of the Charleston RiverDogs (41-47) Sunday night inside Segra Stadium. It’s the first series sweep of the season for the Woodpeckers and first since May 22nd of the 2022 season as Fayetteville moves within 1.5 game of first place in the south division.

The RiverDogs got things going in the second inning with a RBI groundout from Enderson Delgado that scored Noah Myers from third to make it 1-0. Yeriel Santos had a productive five inning outing allowing just two total baserunners on one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Nehomar Ochoa Jr. leveled the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth, sending a first-pitch fastball from Santiago Suarez over the left-center field wall for his team-leading eighth homer of the season. Raimy Rodriguez (W, 2-6) took over from the bullpen in the sixth and retired the first seven batters he faced. The recently turned 19-year-old worked around a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to keep the game level.

Fayetteville kicked off their game-winning rally in the eighth inning with a Yamal Encarnacion RBI double into the left field corner that brought home Alberto Hernandez to make it 2-1. Waner Luciano in his third game back for the Woodpeckers added a scorching 107 mph line drive single to left field that scored Encarnacion for the 3-1 insurance lead.

Charleston managed to load the bases with one out in the ninth and cut the game to 3-2 on a Carlos Colmenarez groundout. With runners at the corners, Charleston called on pinch-hitter Raudelis Martinez who lined out to left to seal the game and lock up the sweep.

Fayetteville will hit the road starting Tuesday when they travel to Kinston, N.C. for a six-game series with the Down East Wood Ducks.

Full Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/753972/final/box