Five-Run Lead Crumbles in Loss to Shorebirds

Fayetteville, NC - A five-run lead turned to a five-run loss as the game flipped on the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (0-2, 29-39) in a 12-7 defeat to the Delmarva Shorebirds (2-0, 25-42) Saturday night at Segra Stadium. The loss drops the Woodpeckers to 0-2 at the start of 2nd half play.

Fayetteville did all of their offensive damage with seven runs on nine hits in the first five innings of the game against Braxton Bragg. Two runs scored in the bottom of the first on a Jancel Villarroel RBI double and Juan Santander sacrifice-fly. Kenni Gomez connected for a two-run homer in a three-run second inning, then Yamal Encarnacion followed with a two-run single in the bottom of the third that opened up Fayetteville’s largest lead at 7-2.

After grabbing a run back in the fourth on an RBI groundout in the fourth, Delmarva equalized the game 7-7 with a pair of two-run homers from Aron Estrada and Aneudis Mordan in the fifth. The Shorebirds surge continued in the seventh, scoring three runs against Abel Mercedes (L, 1-1) on a throwing error, wild pitch and sacrifice fly.

Jiorgeny Casimiri (W, 3-1), Jared Beck and Eddy Alberto kept the Fayetteville lineup in check over the back half of the game, not allowing a hit beyond Victor Diaz’s single in the fifth inning.

Wilmy Sanchez set down the Delmarva side in order in the eighth before allowing a pair of RBI singles in the ninth that capped Delmarva’s ten-run stretch and 12-7 final.

The series and homestand concludes on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM. The Woodpeckers will be off on Monday before opening a six-game road series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Tuesday night.

Full Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/753978/final/box