Win Streak Snapped as Ballers Surrender Late Runs by Woodpeckers 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers powered back from trailing by as many as six runs to take a lead in the bottom of the eighth, but ultimately fell, 11-9, Saturday night at the hands of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers at Atrium Health Ballpark.

The Cannon Ballers do win the series four games to two but fall to 7-8 in the second half of the season and 48-33 in the overall season slate. Fayetteville jumps to 7-8 in the second half, 36-45 in the overall season’s schedule.

RHP Ricardo Brizuela had a nightmare first inning in his first start as a Cannon Baller, allowing a barrage of offense from Fayetteville. The righty eventually settled in, striking out three and walking one over five innings. Brizuela allowed a final line of eight runs on 11 hits in his season debut. LHP Patrick Maybach relieved Brizuela in the sixth, tossing a pair of shutout innings in his debut, walking one and striking out one.

Fayetteville pounced early in Saturday’s game, jumping ahead on a Chase Jaworsky two-run home run. Later in the frame, a trio of RBI singles from Will Bush, Xavier Casserilla and Alberto Hernandez along with a wild pitch from Brizuela resulted in a six-run first inning for the Woodpeckers.

The Ballers answered partially in the first inning, tallying a trio of runs on a sacrifice fly from Arxy Hernandez and a two-RBI triple from George Wolkow to make it, 6-3, after one inning.

Wolkow’s night did not come to an end, with the lefty-bat cranking his eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth. The two-run shot made it a one-run game at, 6-5, advantage Fayetteville.

Alejandro Nunez provided a pair of cushion runs in the top of the fifth, adding a ground-rule double into right field to push the Woodpeckers to an, 8-5, lead after five innings.

Kannapolis did not give up late, notching a comeback effort in the bottom of the eighth with four runs to take the lead at, 9-8. Hernandez’s RBI single started the frame’s scoring, followed by RBI singles from Albertson Asigen and Drake Logan, pushing ahead on a Wilber Sanchez fielder’s choice to complete a monumental effort.

With Jesus Mendez on the mound, the Ballers put their best foot forward but crumbled, surrendering a trio of Woodpeckers runs. Nehomar Ochoa Jr. and Alejandro Nunez notched a sacrifice fly, with Kenni Gomez tripling to center field to push Fayetteville ahead, 11-9. Kannapolis failed to make a comeback of their own in the ninth, seeing their four-game win streak snapped.

Atrium Health Ballpark will host a pair of nights of baseball as the Queen City Corndogs take the field on Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13. The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers depart for a six-game road trip to Myrtle Beach to play the Pelicans, Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, July 9-14. Kannapolis is back home after a road trip and a four-day All-Star break to play the Augusta GreenJackets, Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, July 19-21, at Atrium Health Ballpark.

Fans can purchase tickets for the Queen City Corndogs Classic games or any remaining Cannon Ballers home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark.