FredNats Snatch First Road Win behind Late-Inning, Two-Out Heroics

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CarL Fredericksburg Nationals

FredNats Snatch First Road Win behind Late-Inning, Two-Out Heroics

April 17, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fredericksburg Nationals News Release


FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Fredericksburg Nationals (6-6) scored two-out runs in the eighth and ninth innings to grab their first road win of the season 4-3, coming back to beat the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (6-6) at SEGRA Stadium.

The FredNats made an early statement with the game's first run, shaking off Wednesday's four-hit performance with an RBI double from Randal Diaz that scored Jackson Ross in the second inning to make it 1-0. Fredericksburg added another run in the second inning when Cristhian Vaquero scored on a Woodpecker wild pitch.

Once again, however, the Fayetteville offense got to the FredNat starter. After Bryan Polanco failed to get out of the first inning Thursday, Alexander Meckley had to fight tooth and nail to get through three full innings, allowing seven hits and three runs in the process. His final pitch in the third inning limited the damage, stranding the bases loaded to keep the Fayetteville lead at 3-2.

From there, zeroes flew to the scoreboard like moths to a flame. Neither team would score in the fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh innings as Gavin Bruni and Adam Bloebaum covered the four frames for the FredNats.

In the Nationals' half of the eighth, reliever Joan Ogando lost control of a pitch in tight to Diaz, hitting the FredNat shortstop and putting the speedster on base for the third time. The team leader in stolen bases promptly swiped his seventh bag in the first 12 games to put himself, the tying run, in scoring position.

Two batters later, Yoander Rivero stood in against Ryan Smith with two outs. Then, the second baseman rifled a ground ball through a hole on the right side of the infield and Diaz soared around third to score. Rivero had his first hit of the night, his first RBI of the season and the game was deadlocked 3-3. Merrick Baldo entered for the bottom of the inning and issued his first two walks of the season, but danced around them and stranded both to keep the game tied.

That sent things to the ninth with Elijah Nunez due up for the FredNats. The TCU product drew a gutsy walk to lead off the inning, his third of the night and his team-high 12th of the season - no one else has more than five. Things were looking up for the Nats before catcher Kevin Bazzell grounded into a ridiculous double play turned masterfully by Fayetteville second baseman Reylin Perez.

With two outs, Roismar Quintana slapped a base hit into right field and started to ditch his equipment and celebrate at first base before he realized the ball had gone straight through the right fielder Cesar Hernandez, allowing Quintana to take second base on the error. Billy McMillon quickly brought in Nick Peoples as a pinch runner.

After the gift, it was Jorgelys Mota's turn to bat with the tying run in scoring position. Mota's home run Tuesday was heroic, but didn't amount to a FredNat win. This time, he wanted what he was owed. Mota snuck a ground ball just past the glove of the shortstop Caden Powell and into centerfield. Peoples got a two-out jump and motored around to score, giving the FredNats a 4-3 lead, their first since it was 1-0.

The bottom of the ninth wasn't easy but the FredNats found a way. Merrick Baldo allowed three hits and another walk but got out of it thanks to a Fayetteville baserunning blunder and a perfectly-placed fastball in a 3-2 count with two outs and the bases loaded to secure Fredericksburg's first road win of 2025.

In total, the Nationals' bullpen (Bruni, Bloebaum, Baldo) spun six scoreless innings after Meckley's exit, keeping the FredNats in it to the end. Baldo (2-0) got the close-shave win while Smith (1-1) got the loss.

With the series now at 2-1 Fayetteville, the FredNats will send Yoel Tejeda Jr. (1-0, 4.5) to the mound in game four, a 7:05 start.

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