Fayetteville Returns from Weather Layoff with Doubleheader Split

The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (47-57, 18-20 2nd Half) resumed play at Segra Stadium after three days of postponements due to Tropical Storm Debby and split a doubleheader with the Lynchburg Hillcats (54-50, 17-21 2nd Half), falling 7-5 in the opener and hanging on for a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.

Game 1

The Woodpeckers suffered a crushing defeat, losing a 5-2 lead with two outs in the top of the seventh. Abel Mercedes (L, 2-2) recorded the final out of the sixth and quickly picked up two outs on a double-play ball in the top of the seventh.

Mercedes lost his control with one out remaining, walking four straight hitters to make it a 5-3 game. Wuilfredo Antunez capitalized on the free baserunners, driving home two on a base hit to right field to tie the game 5-5. Mercedes was pulled from the game for Hudson Leach, who promptly surrendered another two-run single to Logan Clark for a 7-5 Lynchburg advantage.

Izaak Martinez (W, 1-0) worked around a pair of singles in the bottom of the seventh to locked up the victory in his pro debut.

Fayetteville had six players from the Astros 2024 signing class in the starting lineup. Sixth round pick Caden Powell finished 3-for-4 and swatted his first professional homer in the top of the third, a two-run shot to right field that provided a 4-0 lead at the time.

Cleanup hitter Jancel Villarroel went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

Top 10 prospect Anderson Brito walked five and struck out five over a 3.0 inning start. The right touched as high as 98.3 MPH with his fastball and delivered 32 strikes on 65 total pitches.

Full Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/753962/final/box

Game 2

Rafel Gonzalez tossed scoreless first and second innings before surrendering three to Lynchburg in the top of the third. Ralphy Velazquez drove a two-run homer over the center-field wall and a Barrett Riebock RBI fielder’s choice turned it to a 3-0 contest.

Fayetteville quickly countered with three of their own in the bottom of the third. Yamal Encarnacion sparked the two-out rally with a double and scored on a Kenni Gomez single to center. Powell followed with another base hit, putting two on for Villarroel who tied the game with a double into the right-center field gap.

Both sides traded runs again in the fourth. Welbyn Francisca connected for an RBI single for the 4-3 Lynchburg advantage, and Will Bush clubbed a deep homer to the train tracks in right field.

Powell picked up his fifth hit across the doubleheader on a go-ahead single in the top of the fifth. The low fly ball landed inside the shallow right field line and scored Yamal Encarnacion for the 5-4 lead.

Julio Marte (W, 2-5) surrendered his lone run of the day in the fourth and rebounded with three scoreless innings of relief to seal the victory. The 21-year-old righty from the Dominican Republic retired the final nine batters he faced, four by strikeout, and did not issue a walk over four innings.

Full Box Score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/753963/final/box

The Woodpeckers are scheduled to play a nine-inning game on Saturday night at 7:05 PM. The series wraps on Sunday with another doubleheader to decide the best of five set as a result of Thursday’s game cancellation.