Down East hopped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a 2-run shot from Yohel Pozo and a RBI double from JP Martinez. The Woodpeckers charged back to take a one run lead behind solo shots from Jacob Meyers and Seth Beer, however another big Down East top of
Down East hopped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a 2-run shot from Yohel Pozo and a RBI double from JP Martinez. The Woodpeckers charged back to take a one run lead behind solo shots from Jacob Meyers and Seth Beer, however another big Down East top of the eighth meant the Woodpeckers succumbed to Wood Ducks 5-4 at Segra Stadium.
Down East opened up the scoring in the top of the third after two scoreless innings on the mound for JP France. Tyreque Reed opened the inning by drawing a walk and then jogged home after Yohel Pozo crushed a 2-run homer to give the Wood Ducks a 2-0 lead. The shot was Pozo's second of the year and the second time an opponent has gone yard on France this season. The Wood Duck's went on to tally another score in the top of the fourth. Once again France surrendered a lead off walk, this time to Ryan Dorow. Dorow made his way home due to a RBI double from J.P Martinez that put Down East up 3-0. Martinez tried to swipe third but was picked off by Fayetteville catcher Michael Papierski, leaving nobody on for Yohel Pozo who ended the inning by lining out to left field.
The Woodpeckers chipped away at the Down East lead in the bottom of the fourth after only being able to muster up one-hit through three innings against Wood Duck's starter Jason Bahr. Jake Adams kicked things off for Fayetteville, drawing a lead-off walk. Adams moved to second on Colton Shaver's single to put a runner in scoring position for the Woodpeckers. Corey Julks followed Shaver with a standup double that scored Adams and finally put the Woodpeckers on the board.
A frame later, Fayetteville continued to tack on runs this time battling Wood Ducks reliever Franciso Villegas. Out of the bullpen Villegas retired the first two batters he faced in Miguelangel Sierra and Bryan De La Cruz. With two away, Jacob Meyers stepped to the plate and blasted a bomb over the left field fence that cut the Wood Ducks lead to one. Meyers has now hit two homers on the season, both at Segra Stadium. Seth Beer stretched his hit streak to four games with a two-bagger that put another runner in striking distance for the Woodpeckers. Then Jake Adams sliced a single on the left field side that scored Beer and knotted that game at three a piece.
After a rocky pair of innings in the third and forth, Woodpeckers starter J.P France finished strong and retired the final seven batters he faced. The right-handed hurler finished the day pitching a career high six innings while allowing three runs and striking out three. Tommy Dejuneas (0-1) sent out three straight in the seventh to pick up where France left off.
With the game tied at four in the bottom of the seventh, Seth Beer gave the Woodpeckers their first lead in the most exciting fashion. The Clemson product blasted a home-run right next to Healy's Bar in right field to put the Woodpeckers up 4-3 after seven frames of play.
Entering the top of the eighth things went south for the Woodpeckers once again. Dejuneas struck out Eric Jenkins and forced a ground out to Down East lead-off batter Yonny Hernandez. However, The Woodpeckers reliever could not get that final out against the next four batters he faced. Leody Taveras and Anderson Tejeda smacked back-to-back singles and Ryan Dorow walked to load the bases for Diosbel Arias. The Wood Duck's third baseman roped a single to center field that knocked in both Taveras and Tejeda. With that two-RBI base-hit Down East regained the lead going up by one run. Dejuneas was finally able to register that final out against JP Martinez but for the second game in a row the Wood Ducks snatched the lead from the Woodpeckers in the eighth inning.
Going into the bottom of the eighth the Woodpeckers had some work to do against Down East reliever Michael Mattuella (2-0). Jonathan Aruaz flew out to left field for the first out of the frame. The rain began to pour on in Fayetteville and sent the game into a two and a half hour rain delay. Coming back from the long break the Wood Ducks called upon Peter Fairbanks to send down the last Woodpeckers in the bottom of the eighth. Fairbanks did his job, making quick work of Michael Papierski and Miguelangel Sierra. Despite 'Peckers reliever Jacob Billingsley striking out the side in the top of the ninth the Fayetteville offense could not rally falling 5-4 to the the Wood Ducks.
The loss moves the Woodpeckers to 15-15 on the season while the Wood Ducks lead the Carolina league with a 22-8 record. Fayetteville is 0-5 agains Down East this season with a chance to finally snag a win on Sunday. The series finale between the two squads is scheduled for 2:00pm tomorrow from Segra Stadium.
