Fayetteville Rallies from Brink to Win in Extras over Pelicans
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Down to their final strike Saturday night at Pelicans Ballpark, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (33-41, 4-4) got a massive swing from Nehomar Ochoa Jr. The 18-year-old hit a game-tying solo home run in the ninth to force extra innings and Fayetteville came out on top with an
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Down to their final strike Saturday night at Pelicans Ballpark, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (33-41, 4-4) got a massive swing from Nehomar Ochoa Jr. The 18-year-old hit a game-tying solo home run in the ninth to force extra innings and Fayetteville came out on top with an improbable 8-7 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (32-42, 3-5). It was only the second time this season that the Woodpeckers won a game in which they were trailing after eight innings.
It was another fast start at the plate for Fayetteville against Pelicans starter JP Wheat, who was making his Single-A debut. Three walks from Wheat loaded the bases in the top of the first for the returning Chase Jaworsky, who reached on a fielding error to open the scoring. Xavier Casserilla immediately followed with a bases loaded walk to make it 2-0.
Myrtle Beach quickly responded in the bottom half of the first. Chris Paciolla doubled with one out off Alain Pena before scoring on a Cristian Hernandez groundout. Alfonsin Rosario then homered to left to tie the game at two. Three straight two out singles by the Pelicans then added a third run to give the hosts the lead.
The Woodpeckers then struck for a big inning in the fourth. Jaworsky led off with a double before dashing home on a Casserilla single to right to level the score again. Later in the frame, Victor Diaz stepped up and hit a three-run home run down the right field line off Mason McGwire to push Fayetteville ahead, 6-3. The advantage was short-lived however as Myrtle Beach put up four runs of their own in the fifth to take a 7-6 lead.
Julio Marte (W, 1-4) took over on the hill for the Woodpeckers in the sixth inning and kept his team within striking distance, tossing four scoreless innings, and allowing just one baserunner on a walk. On the other side, Kenyi Perez and Angel Hernandez (L, 1-2) maintained the lead for the Pelicans through the eighth.
Jancel Villarroel led off the top of the ninth against Hernandez with a walk, but Kenni Gomez lined into a double play to bring Fayetteville down to their last out. Up came Ochoa, who fell behind 0-2 but kept the at-bat alive to see a fifth pitch from the lefty reliever. Hernandez threw him a high fastball and Ochoa lifted a fly ball that narrowly cleared the left field fence over the leaping glove of outfielder Reggie Preciado for Ochoa’s sixth home run of the season, tying him with Oliver Carrillo for the team lead.
Marte pitched a clean bottom of the ninth to get the game into extra innings. With Cesar Hernandez at second and one out in the top of the tenth, Casserilla came through yet again for the Woodpeckers and lined an RBI double down the left field line to move Fayetteville back in front. Casserilla’s three runs batted in tied a season-high for him.
Amilcar Chirinos (SV, 3) entered the game in the bottom of the tenth, looking to lock down the victory for the Woodpeckers. Miguel Pabon led off with a single to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Chirinos then proceeded to strike out Drew Bowser, Christian Olivo, and Preciado in order to end the ballgame.
The comeback win puts Fayetteville in position to claim a series win with a victory on Sunday evening. RHP Engel Peralta is set to make his first Single-A start with Woodpeckers after earning the win on Tuesday night in relief. Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach is in search of a split with RHP Will Frisch on the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM.