The Fayetteville Woodpeckers had no answer for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans offense as the Woodpeckers dropped a lopsided game at Segra Stadium. DJ Wilson hit two home runs including a grand slam as the birds hot bats knocked a record 21 hits against Fayetteville. Jacob Meyers and Chandler Taylor did
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers had no answer for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans offense as the Woodpeckers dropped a lopsided game at Segra Stadium. DJ Wilson hit two home runs including a grand slam as the birds hot bats knocked a record 21 hits against Fayetteville. Jacob Meyers and Chandler Taylor did smack bombs of their own for the Woodpeckers, put it was not enough to match the Myrtle Beach magic falling 12-6 on the Thirsty Thursday matchup.
Brett Conine (3-2) started the game on the mound for the Fayetteville and pitched a scoreless top of the first, tying a franchise record for consecutive shutout innings pitched at 12 straight. The second inning was a different story for the Woodpeckers hurler who started the frame by losing an eight pitch battle with Cam Balego who knocked a base-hit. Tyler Payne followed by notching a hit of his own, followed by a walk drawn by Grant Fennell that loaded the bases for the Pelicans. DJ Wilson stepped up the the plate and smoked his first home run of the year to give the Pelicans an early 4-0 lead with a grand slam to right field. Despite Zach Davis smacking a double, Conine finished the inning by retiring the next two batters he faced to end the frame. In the bottom of the second the Woodpeckers offense looked to launch a comeback with Chandler Taylor reaching on a one out walk. Taylor then moved into scoring position thanks to single from Scott Schreiber, but two phenomenal catches in the outfield by Davis and and Wilson robbed the Woodpeckers of extra base-hits to end the inning with two runners stranded.
Conine settled in the top of the third sending down the side in order, but the Woodpeckers offense was once again stifled by Pelicans starter Erich Uelmen who struck out all three batters he faced in the bottom of the frame. The Myrtle Beach offense kept tacking on runs against Conine in the top of the fourth, with Tyler Payne lacing his second hit of the game for a leadoff double. The Fayetteville hurler retired the next two batters he faced, but then three straight hits by the Pelicans scored two more runs to make it 6-0 Myrtle Beach. Fayetteville then made a pitching change with two runners on, tasking Leovanney Rodriguez with getting the final out of the frame. Out of the bullpen Rodriguez made quick work of Luke Reynolds getting the third basemen to ground out and limiting the damage heading into the next frame. The top of the fifth got a little bumpier for the Fayetteville reliever, with one away Aramis Ademen launched a solo home run to just keep piling on for Myrtle Beach. While the Pelicans offense was tacking on runs left and right, the Woodpeckers offense stalled. In fact Uelman retired eleven straight through the fifth inning continuing the shutout for the Myrtle Beach.
The Pelicans tallied two more in the top of the sixth, highlighted by another home run from DJ Wilson. The Myrtle Beach outfielder is the first player this year that has hit two shots in a game against he Woodpeckers. Carlos Sepulveda knocked home Zach Davis to make it 9-0 and continuing to stretch the lead for Myrtle Beach. It was not until the sixth frame that Fayetteville would finally get on the board against Uelman. Ruben Castro reached on a base on balls, followed by a two-run bomb from Jacob Meyers over the left field wall. The shot was the 7th of the year for Meyers and cut the Pelicans lead to seven. The Woodpeckers could not keep that score for long with the Pelicans notching another run in the top of the eighth thanks to an RBI single from Sepulveda that scored Zach Davis and made it 10-2.
Down eight in the bottom of the eighth the Woodpeckers tried to kick off the rally of the season against Pelicans' reliever Brian Glowicki. Michael Papierski reached on a walk, followed by a single from Corey Julks and another walk from Scott Manea. Chandler Taylor stepped up to the plate and crushed his second grand slam of the year to put the Woodpeckers within four runs heading into the final frame of the game. Myrtle Beach however continued to pile on, adding two more scores in the top of the ninth against Fayetteville reliever Jacob Billingsley. Sepulveda earned his third and fourth RBIs of the contest with a single to center field that made it 12-6 Myrtle Beach. The deficit was too much for the Woodpeckers to handle and Fayetteville fell by six runs in the series opener with Myrtle Beach.
The Woodpeckers still control the season series and are 10-2 against the Pelicans this year. Overall Fayetteville drops to 36-41 on the year and 5-3 in the first half. Myrtle Beach on the other hand are winners of three straight and hold a 24-51 overall record. The Woodpeckers look for redemption tomorrow night with Shawn Dubin set to climb the hill. First pitch is set for 7:00pm.
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are the Advanced Single-A affiliate of the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros and play in their Inaugural Season at beautiful Segra Stadium in downtown Fayetteville. Segra Stadium, a $40 million state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, features space for over 5,200 fans, natural grass, a 25x70 LED video scoreboard, six luxury suites, four field boxes, the premium AEVEX Veterans Club level, Healy's Bar and outdoor party deck, a kid's zone, and more. With a rich history of baseball in the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, the Woodpeckers are thrilled to write a new chapter with their inaugural campaign on Hay Street. Fans are encouraged to visit FayettevilleWoodpeckers.com to purchase tickets, learn more about the team, and find out about upcoming events and promotions at the ballpark. Fans may also reach the Woodpeckers by visiting the BB&T Box Office in front of Segra Stadium, calling (910) 339-1989, or emailing [email protected].
