Hamilton’s Big Saturday Powers Woodpeckers Past Carolina

Fayetteville, NC - A monster performance from Quincy Hamilton carried the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (12-20) to an 8-6 win over the Carolina Mudcats (16-16) on Saturday night at Segra Stadium. Hamilton had three of Fayetteville’s five hits, including a home run, a double, and three runs batted in as the Woodpeckers took game five to guarantee a split of the six-game series.

For the third straight night, the Mudcats picked up the first run of the ballgame. A sacrifice fly for Luis Silva against Fayetteville starter Shea Barry brought home Hedbert Perez in the top of the second inning. However, Barry was able to limit the damage and recorded the final out of the frame before departing after two innings in his 2022 debut.

The Woodpeckers wasted no time answering in the bottom of the second. Hamilton led off the inning with a single and stole second base. Joey Loperfido drew a one-out walk to put two runners on for Yeuris Ramirez, who lined a fastball into shallow right. Hamilton scored from second and Loperfido scrambled home after an errant throw ended up near the dugout to put Fayetteville on top, 2-1. After advancing to third on the play, Ramirez came in to score moments later when Victor Mascai’s ground ball to first was misplayed, turning the contest to 3-1.

In the third, Logan Cerny was hit by a pitch and Leosdany Molina walked to set the stage for Hamilton who drove in his first two runs of the game with a double and a 5-1 lead.

Leading 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Hamilton delivered another powerful swing, arcing a solo home-run over the right field wall for his team-leading fifth long-ball of the season.

Carolina inched back into the game with a Hedbert Perez solo home-run in the sixth and a two-run seventh inning against Carlos Calderon (W, 2-1) that closed the game to 6-5. Jacob Coats (SV, 1) recorded the final two outs of the seventh inning and carried Fayetteville the rest of the way on the mound.

Coats struck out the side in order in the eighth and benefitted from two extra runs of support in the bottom half. Miguel Palma reached on a single to left field and Yeuris Ramirez was put aboard on a hit by pitch. Victor Mascai advanced both runners into scoring position on a groundout and Karlos Morales lost control with a pair of wild pitches that scored both runners for a 8-5 lead.

Despite allowing a run in the ninth, Coats struck out three more hitters and closed his relief appearance with seven punch outs and his first save of the season.

The series concludes on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 pm ET. The Woodpeckers will start RHP Deylen Miley (2-1, 2.53) and Carolina will counter with RHP Stiven Cruz.

GAME BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/669609/final/box