The Woodpeckers had a 5-2 lead heading into the eighth, but a four run burst in the top of the frame and a 3-run error in extras propelled Down East to claim the series opener. Seth Beer finished the day with 3 RBIs and starter Parker Mushinski struck out a
The Woodpeckers had a 5-2 lead heading into the eighth, but a four run burst in the top of the frame and a 3-run error in extras propelled Down East to claim the series opener. Seth Beer finished the day with 3 RBIs and starter Parker Mushinski struck out a career high ten batters in the 'Peckers 9-6 loss at Segra Stadium.
The bottom of the second saw four runs come home for the Woodpeckers on Wood Ducks' starter Noah Bremer. With one out, Micheal Papierski knocked the perfect bunt up the third base line as the frame's first baserunner. Johnathan Arauz followed up with a single and Miguelangel Sierra later drew a walk to load the bases with two away for Bryan De La Cruz. The leadoff-batter for Fayetteville made it 13 RBIs on the year with a line drive base hit to left field that scored Papierski and Arauz. Jacob Meyers immediately filled the bases yet again after getting hit by pitch from the lefty Bremer, setting up the perfect opportunity for Seth Beer to flex his muscles. The Clemson product smacked a single into center that tacked on two more runs as Sierra and De La Cruz both came around. Beer and Meyers were left stranded at the corners, however the Woodpeckers did their damage taking a 4-0 lead after two innings.
Woodpeckers starter Parker Mushinski pitched three innings of scoreless ball, retiring seven straight until he surrendered a walk to Ryan Dorrow with one away in the top of the fourth. Dorrow would cut the Fayetteville lead to three after J.P. Martinez crushed a triple to left field. Mushinski stayed on the mound for his longest outing of the year, pitching 5 1/3 innings. The southpaw was replaced by Hunter Martin with one runner on. The Fayetteville reliever did allow Leody Taveras to come home on a ground out from Diosbel Arias. That score chipped the Fayetteville lead to 2 and also was the the second run credited to Mushinski on the night. The final line for the lefty included two runs, four hits, and striking out a career high 10 batters.
Wood Ducks' starter Noah Bremer held the Woodpeckers scoreless for the rest of his time on the mound, leaving after six innings pitched. Down East's replacement Alex Eubanks ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh. Jacob Meyers crushed a double to put a runner in scoring position once again for Seth Beer. The first-round draft pick tallied his third RBI of the night and 26th of the year with another base hit that sent Meyers home. The RBI extended the Fayetteville lead back to three after seven innings of play.
The top of the eighth went sour for the Woodpeckers, as Down East launched a rally. Hunter Martin faced five batters in the top of the frame and could not get an out. With Martin on the mound, Taveras singled to score Eric Jenkins and put Down East within two. Ryan Dorrow knocked his third hit of the night by smashing a two-bagger that scored two runs and knotted the game at five. With still no outs and runners at the corners, Martin was pulled and Willy Collado entered the game in a tough situation. With Collado on the mound Taveras attempted to steal second immediately, when Micheal Papierski tried to catch Taveras the lead runner, Anderson Tejeda, stole home during the mix.
Collado did not allow a baserunner of his own, sending down the three batters he faced to stop the bleeding at Segra Stadium. Now it was the Woodpeckers turn for a rally. Jonathan Arauz ripped a fly ball into high right field, that was dropped by Wood Ducks outfielder J.P Martinez. The error allowed the speedy Arauz to get safely into the third. That put the tying run 90 feet away for Scott Manea who answered the call, hitting a deep fly out to the warning track in left field. The sacrifice gave Arauz plenty of time to knot the game back up at six. The Woodpeckers could not add another against Wood Ducks' reliever Joe Barlow (3-0), so the two teams headed to extra innings.
Entering the 10th, Leody Taveras started the inning at second base as the tie breaking runner. He quickly moved to third with the bases loaded after Woodpeckers reliever Jacob Billingsley (0-1) walked the first two batters he faced. Billingsley then locked in sending down both Diosbel Arias and J.P. Martinez in order. With two outs, Yanio Perez bounced a hard shot to Jake Adams at third who slid to glove it, but when he threw to first to end the inning nobody was home. The ball sailed into right field and three Wood Ducks runners scored. That gave Down East reliever Demarcus Evans some cushion as he entered the game in the bottom of the tenth. The righty gave up a leadoff walk to Corey Julks but then downed the side and secured the 9-6 victory for the Wood Ducks.
This is the fourth loss for Fayetteville against Down East on the year. The 'Peckers are now 15-14 on the season, meanwhile the Wood Ducks are riding an eight game win streak at 21-8. Game two of a three game weekend series between the two squads is set for tomorrow at 6:00pm from Segra Stadium.
