Another Quality Start from Nezuh Leads Woodpeckers to Third Straight Victory
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – For the second straight start, Jackson Nezuh was dominant on the hill for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (32-39, 3-2). The righthander delivered another six-inning outing to lead the Woodpeckers to a 4-3 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (30-41, 1-4). Fayetteville has won each of their last
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – For the second straight start, Jackson Nezuh was dominant on the hill for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (32-39, 3-2). The righthander delivered another six-inning outing to lead the Woodpeckers to a 4-3 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (30-41, 1-4). Fayetteville has won each of their last three games, tying their season-long winning streak.
Once again, the Woodpeckers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Yamal Encarnacion and Jancel Villarroel both singled off Pelicans starter Yenrri Rojas (L, 2-2) before a balk by Rojas brought in Encarnacion. Kenni Gomez followed with an RBI double, and he later scored on a base hit from Xavier Casserilla for the early three-run edge.
Nezuh (W, 5-4) ran into some trouble in the bottom of the first to begin his outing as Myrtle Beach loaded the bases with one out. However, he only surrendered an Andy Garriola sacrifice fly before escaping the jam. Nezuh then did not allow a run over his final five frames and struck out a season-high eight batters en route to his second consecutive quality start. He became just the second Woodpecker to produce multiple quality starts this year, joining Alain Pena.
Fayetteville added another run to their lead in the fifth inning when Nehomar Ochoa Jr. laced a 3-0 pitch into left center, scoring Gomez. Hudson Leach took over for Nezuh and tossed a scoreless seventh, but conceded a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. Reggie Preciado sent an RBI triple into the gap to make it 4-2 and scored moments later on a Cristian Hernandez groundout. Alfonsin Rosario singled with two outs to put the tying run aboard but Leach fanned Garriola to keep the lead intact.
In the bottom of the ninth, Leach retired the leadoff hitter via the strikeout but allowed back-to-back hitters to reach with one out. Manager Ricky Rivera then made a call to the bullpen and brought in Amilcar Chirinos (SV, 2). With the pressure on, Chirinos got Alexis Hernandez to strike out looking and forced out Preciado at second to end the ballgame.
The Woodpeckers will try to win their fourth straight contest on Thursday night in the third of six games in Myrtle Beach. Astros second round pick RHP Alonzo Tredwell gets the start for Fayetteville while the Pelicans hand the ball to RHP Jaxon Wiggins. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.