Pena Shines, Woodpeckers’ Offense Keeps Rolling in Win over GreenJackets
NORTH AUGUSTA, SC – Starter Alain Pena tossed five scoreless innings, seven different hitters recorded a run batted in, and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (38-46, 9-9) cruised to an 8-2 win over the Augusta GreenJackets Thursday night at SRP Park. After a tough loss on Tuesday night, the Woodpeckers have rallied
NORTH AUGUSTA, SC – Starter Alain Pena tossed five scoreless innings, seven different hitters recorded a run batted in, and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (38-46, 9-9) cruised to an 8-2 win over the Augusta GreenJackets Thursday night at SRP Park. After a tough loss on Tuesday night, the Woodpeckers have rallied to take the upper hand in this week’s six-game series at the halfway point.
Pena (W, 3-1) allowed just four hits and two walks over his five frames while striking out five. The righty ran into trouble at times but escaped each jam, including when Jacob Godman laced a one-out triple off him in the fifth. Nearing the end of his outing, Pena regrouped and got the final two outs to strand the runner 90 feet away. His earned run average has now dropped to 3.30 on the season.
Offensively, Fayetteville started with a bang in the top of the first against Augusta starter Kadon Morton (L, 0-3). With two outs, Alejandro Nunez struck the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for his fourth home run of the season to make it 1-0 Woodpeckers. It was the fourth straight game with an RBI for Nunez.
In the third, Alberto Hernandez followed suit with a solo shot off Morton to double the lead. Hernandez has now homered in consecutive series after not having a single long ball all season. Fayetteville then tagged Morton for three more runs in the fourth with Cesar Hernandez, Juan Santander, and Will Bush all picking up RBIs. Bush finished the night with a three-hit game, his first of the season.
The GreenJackets finally found their way into the run column in the bottom of the sixth against Julio Marte (SV, 1). Godman continued his impressive day at the plate for Augusta with a two-run single to make it 5-2, but Yamal Encarnacion threw him out trying to stretch it into a double. The big out allowed Marte to settle in and he pitched the rest of the game scoreless, striking out seven and picking up his first Single-A save.
For good measure, the Woodpeckers picked up a trio of insurance runs over the final three innings. Xavier Casserilla lined an RBI single up the middle in the seventh before Chase Jaworsky later brought Nunez in on a groundout. Jaworsky picked up another RBI in the eighth when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to close out the scoring.
Fayetteville looks for their third straight win on Friday night in North Augusta. RHP Engel Peralta gets the ball for the Woodpeckers while the GreenJackets’ starter is to be announced. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.