Nationals Tie Game Late but Lose in Ninth

August 29, 2024

KANNAPOLIS, NC - The FredNats stormed back to tie the game late, but Kannapolis picked up a walk-off win, 8-7. The Nationals are 34-23 (69-54) now, and the Cannon Ballers are 25-32 (65-57). Both sides plated a run in the first third of the ball game, with Luis Pineda’s RBI

KANNAPOLIS, NC - The FredNats stormed back to tie the game late, but Kannapolis picked up a walk-off win, 8-7. The Nationals are 34-23 (69-54) now, and the Cannon Ballers are 25-32 (65-57).

Both sides plated a run in the first third of the ball game, with Luis Pineda’s RBI single for Kannapolis and Seaver King’s triple for Fredericksburg in the top of the third inning.

Neither side could muster much offense through the fourth and fifth innings, but the Ballers snapped the 1-1 tie in the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Alec Makarewicz roped a two-run double down the right field line to make it 3-1. After a walk, Arxy Hernandez tacked on two more runs, putting the Cannon Ballers up 5-1.

Jeral Perez laced his own two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, putting the FredNats in a 7-1 hole.

But with just six outs to work with, the Nats rallied against the Kannapolis bullpen. Cristhian Vaquero walked to open the eighth, and Elijah Green doubled to put two in scoring position. The Ballers got the next two FredNats out, but Caleb Lomavita flipped a single into shallow right field to plate two runs. After a single and wild pitch moved Lomavita to third base, he scored on a ball that Nick Peoples legged out to make it a three run deficit, 7-4.

Matt Bollenbacher kept it there in the bottom of the eighth, as Kannapolis handed the ball to their closer Jesus Mendez for the ninth. After opening the frame with a punchout, three straight singles loaded the bases for FXBG. Mendez recorded the second out, but then hit Lomavita to force home a run. Nate Rombach then tied the game with his two-strike single to right field, completing a six-run rally to force a bottom of the ninth inning.

However, a leadoff double turned into the winning run for Kannapolis, as Drake Logan chopped a ball up the middle for a walkoff single. Daniel Gonzalez (1-0) earned his first win this year, and Matt Bollenbacher (1-2) took the loss.

In game four, Brayan Romero (0-1, 6.64) faces off against Frankeli Arias (2-4, 5.06) in a 7:00 p.m. start.