KINSTON, NC - The Woodies (5-6, 40-41) starting battery of Sal Mendez and Matt Whatley came through in the clutch as they took game two of the series over the Red Sox (5-5, 37-41) by a final of 3-1.
KINSTON, NC - The Woodies (5-6, 40-41) starting battery of Sal Mendez and Matt Whatley came through in the clutch as they took game two of the series over the Red Sox (5-5, 37-41) by a final of 3-1.
Whatley had the go-ahead RBIs with a two-run single in the seventh to break a scoreless tie and Mendez fired six shutout innings in his third start as a DEWD.
Mendez struck out seven batters, one shy of his career high, in a tough luck no decision since he exited when the game was scoreless. On the other side, Jake Thompson held the Down East bats at bat for the first six innings.
Action didn't arrive until the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs. Brendon Davis lined a single into left to bring Alex Kowalczyk to the plate. He hit a routine grounder to short but there C.J. Chatham bobbled the ball and allowed Kowalczyk to reach.
With a 3-2 count, Whatley lined a single the other way and it plated both runners to break the tie. After a pitching change, Franklin Rollin followed with a RBI double to score Whatley and swell the lead to three.
Blake Bass made his 2018 DEWD debut out of the bullpen and earned the victory. The right-hander's season in 2017 was cut short due to Tommy John surgery but was a member of the Opening Day roster for the Wood Ducks in the inaugural season. He struck out two over an inning and two-thirds of work.
Right-hander Michael Matuella entered in the eighth and induced an inning-ending ground out to kick off his four-out save. All three outs in the ninth were ground balls to seal his second save of the season.
The win evens the series at one apiece. Game three comes on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. with right-hander Robby Rowland (0-1, 11.25) taking on righty Tanner Houck (3-9, 5.16).
