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CarL Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Franchise Record 21 Strikeouts Helps Peckers Even Series

April 20, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release


Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action
Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)

Columbia, SC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (7-3) made franchise history on Wednesday night at Segra Park as the trio of Michael Knorr, Bryan Perez, and Andrew Taylor struck out 21 batters, the most ever in a single game. The strong pitching paved the way to a 7-3 Fayetteville victory over the Columbia Fireflies (4-5). It also marked the most strikeouts by a pitching staff in a nine-inning game in the Carolina League since at least 2005.

Knorr, the 2022 Astros third-round pick, made his first professional start and was borderline unhittable over four innings. The righthander allowed zero runs on two hits, two walks, and struck out nine. Knorr has now struck out 15 batters over eight innings of work in 2023.

While Knorr was dominating on the mound, the Woodpeckers' offense went to work in the third inning. Kobe Kato and Dauri Lorenzo began the top half with back-to-back walks before Ryan Clifford brought Kato in with an RBI single to open the scoring. Two batters later, a fielding error allowed Lorenzo to dash home and make it 2-0.

Fayetteville added to their lead in the fifth and Clifford was at the forefront of things again. The Raleigh native ripped a one-out double down the left field line and Tyler Whitaker followed that up with an RBI triple on a fly ball lost in the lights by the Columbia defense. Zach Cole brought Whitaker home moments later on a sacrifice fly to push the score to 4-0.

The Fireflies finally broke through in the run column against Perez in the bottom of the fifth. With runners at the corners, an errant throw down to second by catcher Sandro Gaston on a stolen base attempt allowed Brennon McNair to trot home. Jean Ramirez, who scored the winning run for Columbia in Tuesday night's game, drove in another run on a sac fly to cut the lead to 4-2.

Fayetteville responded in the top of the eighth thanks to a few Fireflies miscues in the field. A pair of throwing errors by Lizandro Rodriguez and Dionmy Salon led to three more Woodpeckers runs.

Taylor (W, 1-0) came on in the sixth and was strong from start to finish. The Astros' second rounder from last year's draft gave up one run over his four innings, which came on a solo shot from Rodriguez in the eighth. Otherwise, Taylor was spectacular, surrendering just three hits

and striking out 11 batters, the most by a Fayetteville pitcher since Misael Tamarez fanned 11 on August 4, 2021, against Fredericksburg.

The Woodpeckers will look to take the series lead on Thursday night with the third game of the series beginning at 7:05 PM in Columbia. RHP Alimber Santa makes his second start of 2023 for Fayetteville while RHP David Sandlin is projected to start for the Fireflies.

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Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action
Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action
   



Carolina League Stories from April 20, 2023


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