Fayetteville Pitching Fans 19 in First Victory Over Columbia
August 1, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (44-55, 15-18 2nd Half) pitching staff dominated from the hill Thursday night, tying a season-high with 19 total strikeouts in a tight 4-3 victory over the Columbia Fireflies (52-44, 17-14 2nd Half) at Segra Stadium. The victory ended a six-game losing streak and marked the first win all season against the Royals affiliate over a nine-game stretch.
Team saves leader Abel Mercedes (SV, 5) was lights out over the final three innings in relief. The 22-year-old righty held the 4-3 lead and recorded the final nine outs of the game all by strikeout. Mercedes has been on a roll since the start of July, picking up 31 total strikeouts over his last 12.0 innings pitched.
Both starting pitchers went scoreless over the first three innings. Julio Marte held Columbia off the board until the top of the fourth when Hyungchan Um swatted a two-run homer over the left field wall for a 2-0 lead. Fayetteville quickly countered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth facing Jonatan Bernal (L, 0-3). Will Bush singled with one out, advanced to third on a Cesar Hernandez double, and both runners scored on passed balls from Blake Mitchell for a 2-2 tie.
Marte returned for the fifth and picked up a strikeout of Brennon McNair, his seventh of the night to tie a season-high mark. He allowed two to reach in the inning and was lifted from the game in favor of debuting right-hander Joan Ogando (W, 1-0). Ogando walked Erick Torres to load the bases and allowed one of the inherited runners to score on a Mitchell sacrifice fly to deep left field for Columbia's second lead at 3-2. Austin Charles struck out to end any further damage and Ogando followed with a scoreless sixth to end his first game.
The Woodpeckers put together another two-run frame against Bernal in the bottom of the fifth. Alberto Hernandez led off with a walk and reached third on a double to center field from Yamal Encarnacion. A balk plated Hernandez to tie the game and moved Encarnacion to third. Jancel Villarroel reached on a hit-by-pitch with two outs and executed a perfect double steal with runners at the corners. Villarroel made it safely into second and drew a throw up the diamond that was cut off in front of the bag by Charles. Encarnacion broke for the plate and beat the return throw home on a dive for the 4-3 outright lead.
In total the Woodpeckers scored all four of their runs without the aid of an RBI hit.
The series continues on Friday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. The Woodpeckers are projected to start RHP Yeriel Santos and Columbia will counter with RHP Mauricio Veliz.
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