Wood Ducks Claim Third Straight Win Behind Hernandez and Homers

KINSTON, NC - Huge performances from the middle of the Down East order led the Woodies to their third straight win on Friday night by a final of 6-4. The biggest performance of the night came from Jonathan Hernández on the mound against Myrtle Beach with five hitless innings and six strikeouts in his first win of the season.
Hernandez only allowed three walks in his start and tossed 71 pitches on the night. The Pelicans did not manage a hit until after he exited in the sixth inning.

Offensively, the DEWDs picked things up in the second with Leblanc's solo homer to left. He matched a season-high with three runs batted in and remains the early team leader in RBIs. He came through again in the fourth with an RBI single to score Leody Taveras.
The Woodies made it three straight innings with a run when Blaine Prescott led off the fourth with his first homer of the year - a blast to left-center. Friday marked the first game of the year with multiple homers for the Wood Ducks.
They weren't finished yet, after the Pelicans trimmed the lead to 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, Leblanc hit an opposite field RBI double to bring home Taveras again. Then two pitches later, Scott lifted off to center field for his first dinger of the year.
It was the first three-homer game for the Wood Ducks since July 17th, 2017 against the Buies Creek Astros.
Kaleb Fontenot and Jacob Lemon finished off the Pelicans for the final four innings, as Fontenot claimed his first hold of the year.
Down East looks for the series win tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. as Michael Matuella will get the nod to the mound. He will start opposite lefty Bryan Hudson from the Pelicans.