Bats Power Kinston Indians to Win Over Fredericksburg

Kinston, N.C. – The Down East Wood Ducks, playing as the Kinston Indians defeated the Fredericksburg Nationals 6-2, Friday night at Grainger Stadium. The offense was powered by two homeruns and the pitching tallied 17 strikeouts en route to the Indians’ 15th win of the season.

Kinston (15-7) jumped out to their biggest lead of the series in the bottom of the fourth. Harris led off with a walk and advanced to second as Luisangel Acuña *worked a two out walk to put runners on first and second. With two outs, *Cristian Inoa blasted a three-run homerun to put the Indians in front of the Nationals 4-1.

The Kinston Indians opened the scoring in the bottom of the first Jayce Easley led off with a single. He advanced on a throwing error as Nationals pitcher Alfonso Hernandez (L, 0-1)) attempted a pickoff attempt. With one out, Dustin Harrissingled to left and Easley came around to score the first run of the game to give the K-Tribe the 1-0 lead.

Fredericksburg (3-19) quickly answered in the top of the third with a run of their own. After two, two out walks by Tekoah Roby, Kevin Strohschein singled to score a run to tie the game at one.

The Indians added one more insurance run in the bottom of the fifth for the 5-1 lead. With one out, Keyber Rodriguezsingled and advanced to second on a fielding error by Nationals left fielder, Jeremy Ydens. Harris hit a pop up in the infield that was dropped by pitcher Hernandez. Rodriguez scored on the play from second and Harris caught the defense sleeping as he moved to second with nobody covering the base.

Fredericksburg pushed one more run across the plate in the top of the seventh on a solo homerun to cut into the deficit 5-2.

The bats continued to stay hot as the K-Tribe added a run in the bottom of the seventh. Randy Florentino tallied his first hit of the season with a solo homerun to lead off the bottom of the seventh to push the Indians lead to 6-2.

Roby took the no-decision, pitching a career-high four innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and a career-high nine strikeouts. March Church (1-0) earned the win after pitching two shutout innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. Ben Anderson pitched two innings, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts. Josh Smith pitched the final inning and recorded one strikeout.

Kinston and Fredericksburg continue their series tomorrow with first pitch set for 6 p.m. The Indians will send RH Nick Krauth (0-0, 1.23) to the hill and Fredericksburg will counter with LH Bryan Pena (0-0, 6.43)

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