Big Homers Carry Woodpeckers Over Red Sox
The Woodpeckers made it two wins in a row against the Red Sox to take the series lead at home. Fayetteville tallied six runs on seven hits, in the quickest game of the year. Scott Manea smacked a two-run shot for his third homer of the year and Miguelangel Sierra
The Woodpeckers made it two wins in a row against the Red Sox to take the series lead at home. Fayetteville tallied six runs on seven hits, in the quickest game of the year. Scott Manea smacked a two-run shot for his third homer of the year and Miguelangel Sierra blasted the first grand slam at Segra Stadium this year. The Woodpeckers pitching tandem of Brett Conine and Shawn Dubin backed up the offense, by striking out a combined 14 Salem batters cementing the 6-2 Fayetteville victory.
Brett Conine (1-0) made his Woodpeckers debut facing the minimum and striking out four Salem batters in just the first two innings of play. Heading into the bottom of the second, the Woodpeckers offense gave Conine some cushion, tacking on two scores in the frame. Corey Julks kicked things off with one away, drawing a walk against Salem starter Daniel Gonzalez (1-4). Scott Manea did not waste anytime knocking Corey Julks home with a two run homer to left center, adding the fifth RBI in the last two days for the Woodpeckers catcher. Despite garnering two more baserunners Fayetteville couldn't score another run, taking a 2-0 lead after two innings.
The Red Sox responded in the third inning as Dylan Hardy began the frame by taking a base on balls marking a leadoff runner for Salem. Conine got the next batter in Nick Scirotino to strikeout looking but Jagger Rusconi followed up with an infield single that moved Hardy into scoring position. With two outs Jonathan Ortega grounded to Woodpeckers third basemen Jake Adams, but the throw to first from Adams was too high and eventually both Hardy and Rusconi ran home to tie the game at 2 apiece.
Conine pitched a speedy three up, three down top of the fourth inning, keeping the game tied going into the bottom of the frame. Corey Julks extended his hit streak to three games with a base-hit to start the inning for Fayetteville. Scott Manea registered his second hit of the day with a single of his own and then another single from Michael Papierski loaded the bases for Miguelangel Sierra. The Woodpeckers second basemen crushed a bomb over the left field wall for the first grand slam in Segra Stadium history. It was also the fifth home run for Sierra this season and his second grand slam of the year. The four-run shot put the Woodpeckers up four runs heading into the fifth frame of play.
Conine continued to deal for the Woodpeckers through fifth and even earned the first out in the sixth. Still, Salem managed two base runners in the frame leading the Woodpeckers to call to the bullpen to make the final two outs in the sixth. Conine finished his stellar night having allowed just one earned run. The right handed hurler also tied a career high by striking out nine in his first Advanced Single-A game. Shawn Dubin entered in relief, with Jarren Duran on second and Pedro Castellanos on first. Dubin walked the first batter he faced in Ryan Fitzgerald to load the bases, however the Woodpeckers reliever retired the next two Salem batters to get out of the jam and finish the scoreless inning.
The rest of the game turned into a pitching duel as Red Sox starter David Gonzalez pitched a scoreless bottom of the fifth and sixth, including striking out four 'Peckers in that span. Joan Martinez relieved Gonzalez and and threw two innings of one hit ball to halt all Fayetteville scoring. Woodpeckers reliever Shawn Dubin did not let up either, pitching three more innings and allowing just one hit. In the bottom of the ninth, Dubin sealed the game by fanning the side to give the Woodpeckers the 6-2 victory.
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring