The Fayetteville Woodpeckers avoided a sweep at Segra Stadium with a drubbing of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Sunday night. The Woodpeckers bats were absolutely red hot, as the team destroyed record upon record in the 13-4 lopsided victory. The offensive onslaught included the most runs at home and 15
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers avoided a sweep at Segra Stadium with a drubbing of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Sunday night. The Woodpeckers bats were absolutely red hot, as the team destroyed record upon record in the 13-4 lopsided victory. The offensive onslaught included the most runs at home and 15 hits, the most in front of the Fayetteville faithful in franchise history. Scott Manea notched the most total bases this year, racking up nine on the evening. Corey Julks was a homer shy of the cycle, Chandler Taylor launched his third homer in three days, and Cal Stevenson went 2-4 in just his second game in the Astros system. Most importantly the blowout victory means the Woodpeckers take control of the final South Division playoff spot.
The Woodpeckers offense started their phenomenal night from the get go, as Corey Julks smashed a one out triple to put the go ahead run 90 feet away for the Woodpeckers. Pelicans starter Alexander Vargas (2-4) retired Ross Adolph for out number two, but then Chandler Taylor stepped up to the plate and smoked a home run over the right field wall for his ninth shot of the season. It was the third homer in as many days for Taylor and gave the Woodpeckers a quick 2-0 lead after one inning.
Fayetteville continued the pile on in the next frame, adding four more against Vargas in the second. The Pelicans starter made swift work of Enmanuel Valdez and David Hensley to put two away early, but that did not stop Miguelangel Sierra from slicing a single. Scott Schreiber followed by smashing a double to center that scored Sierra and made it 3-0 Woodpeckers. Schreiber himself scored when Cal Stevenson knocked his first base hit in a Fayetteville uniform and his second RBI of the series. Corey Julks tacked on another score for the Woodpeckers when he laced a double up the third base line, scoring Stevenson and putting another run in scoring position for Fayetteville. Julks scored for the second time on the night thanks to Ross Adolph who smacked a two bagger on line drive to center. The double made it 6-0 Woodpeckers and also ended the inning as Adolph tried to take an extra bag and was thrown out 8-6-5, however Fayetteville ended the second frame with a hefty 6-0 lead.
The Woodpeckers just could not stop scoring, tallying a pair of runs in the bottom of the third off a new Myrtle Beach pitcher in Jesus Camargo. Chandler Taylor kicked off the inning by drawing a walk, moving to third when Scott Manea roped a double. David Hensley brought Taylor home when he grounded out and forced the Pelicans defense to make the easy play at first. Manea scored after Scott Schreiber chopped a ball to the shortstop Aramis Ademan that the infielder bobbled, allowing a run and new baserunner on the E6. Carmargo ended the frame when Julks lined out to Cam Balego at third, but the Woodpeckers did their damage going up 8-0 after three. In the next frame Scott Manea stretched the Woodpeckers lead even more, launching a two out homer just over the left field fence to make it 9-0 Fayetteville.
Cody Deason had a solid night on the mound for the Woodpeckers, getting the start for Fayetteville. The righty went four innings before allowing a run, even stranding the bases loaded in the first. On the night, Deason gave up just three hits, fanning five Pelicans batters as well. The Woodpeckers starter was on the hill to start the fifth but was replaced by Nivaldo Rodriguez after giving up a leadoff walk to Wladimir Galindo. Against a new Fayetteville arm Carlos Sepulveda laced a single that moved the runner along. Galindo scored on the second out as Balego grounded into a 6-3 putout that ended the shutout and finally put the Pelicans on the board. With Sepulveda now on third, Miguel Amaya stepped up to the plate and drilled homer to Healy's Bar in right field to cut the Woodpeckers lead to 9-3.
Fayetteville finally did not tally a run in the fifth inning going three up, three down but added two more in the sixth. Cal Stevenson crushed a double off the wall in center to start the inning and came home when Corey Julks smacked an RBI single, putting Julks a homer away from hitting for the cycle. That run was knocked in when Scott Manea roped a single to right field, to give Manea his second RBI of the night and make it 11-3 Woodpeckers after six frames.
With Austin Hansen (3-2) now on the mound for Fayetteville, Myrtle Beach tacked on another score in the top of the eighth. Grant Fennell drew a walk to lead off, coming home on a fielding error committed by Scott Schreiber at first base. The run cut the Woodpeckers lead to seven, but Hansen ended the inning by sending down the next two. The Woodpeckers offense continued their dominance in the bottom of the eighth against Pelicans reliever Eric Gonzalez, a typical catcher for Myrtle Beach. Corey Julks was immediately clipped with a pitch, coming home thanks to an RBI base hit from Scott Manea. The single meant Manea set a new franchise record in total bases with nine total on the night against the Pelicans. David Hensley earned his second RBI of the night on an infield single that brought home Manea and made put the Woodpeckers up convincingly 13-4. Cesar Rosado pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to solidify the nine run Fayetteville win at Segra Stadium.
The Woodpeckers advance to 54-59 on the year while the Pelicans fall to 43-68. Fayetteville is now in sole possession of second place in the South with the win. The Woodpeckers have a day off tomorrow and then return to battle Wilmington at home for three games. The series opener is scheduled for 7:00pm Tuesday.
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].
