Mascai and Cerny Lead Fayetteville Offense to Second Win Over Mudcats

Fayetteville, NC - A go-ahead home-run from Victor Mascai and a three-hit night out of Logan Cerny helped lead the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (11-19) to a 7-2 win over the Carolina Mudcats (15-15) on Thursday night at Segra Stadium. The pitching staff also held steady, holding Carolina to four hits and racking up 15 strikeouts on the night.

It was a bit of a rocky first inning for Woodpeckers starter Christian Mejias in his 2022 season debut. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for Carolina before Mejias balked with a full count to bring home Zach Raabe and give the Mudcats the early 1-0 advantage.

Fayetteville’s offense made up for it in the bottom half of the inning. Leosdany Molina ripped a single up the middle that allowed Logan Cerny to score and tie the ballgame. Moments later, Molina swiped third and scrambled home after the throw from catcher Jose Sibrian got away, pushing the Woodpeckers out in front 2-1.

Carolina pulled the game back even in the top of the third. A deep fly ball to left field was nearly caught by Joey Loperfido, but the ball popped out of his glove as he crashed into the wall, allowing the tying run to score on an RBI triple for Arbert Cipion.

The Woodpeckers had gone four straight games without a home run, but that quickly changed in the bottom of the fourth. Victor Mascai squared up the first pitch he saw and drilled it over the right field fence for a two-run blast, his fourth of the season, to give Fayetteville the 4-2 lead.

Mejias wrapped up his first start of the season going 3.2 innings, allowing a pair of runs and two hits while walking four and striking out four. He was replaced by Fabricio Reina, who turned in his best outing of the year with 3.1 scoreless and hitless frames, retiring ten of the eleven batters he faced.

Fayetteville’s offense did not slow down. In the sixth, Kenedy Corona chopped one up the first base line for a single that plated Cody Orr to extend the lead to 5-2. The following inning, Cerny continued his impressive game with a line drive home run to right center for a solo shot, his first long ball since April 12th. Later in the seventh, Miguel Palma beat out a ground ball bobbled by third baseman Alberis Ferrer which allowed Molina to score and push the lead to 7-2.

Woodpeckers reliever Ian Foggo entered in the eighth to make his Single-A debut. The hard-throwing righty pitched himself out of a bases loaded jam by striking out the side before fanning three more batters in the ninth to close it out for Fayetteville.

The two teams will battle in Game Four of the series Friday night as the Woodpeckers will try to secure a series split at worst with a victory. RHP Edinson Batista is expected to make his second start of the season for Fayetteville while the Mudcats counter with RHP Miguel Segura. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, weather permitting.

GAME BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/669611/final/box