CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

Jenkins, Martinez Lead Woodies To Double-Header Sweep

Published on May 31, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Kinston, N.C. - The Down East Wood Ducks blew past the Salem Red Sox in the conclusion of Thursday's suspended game, 10-2, and then topped Salem again in the regularly scheduled contest, 3-1, to win their sixth in a row, and take a three games to none lead in the series.

Game 1:

Down East 10, Salem 2

Win: Alex Eubanks (4-1)

Loss: Robbie Baker (1-1)

Save: Joe Kuzia (2)

Eric Jenkins put the Wood Ducks on top in the third inning with a solo home run to right field off of Jhonathan Diaz, to put the Woodies on the board first. Diaz worked three innings, giving up five hits and one run, he struck out two and did not walk a batter.

John King retired the first nine men he faced, but Jarren Duran led off the fourth inning with an inside-the-park home run to tie the ballgame at 1-1. King went four innings, allowing a run on two hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out five. The game was suspended in the middle of the fourth.

Following the resumption, Clayton Middleton was hit by a pitch, and then Jenkins blasted his second home run of the game, off of Robbie Baker, to put Down East in front, 3-1. It was Jenkins' first career multi-homer game and he now has four overall this season.

Baker (loss, 1-1) gave up four runs in 3.2 innings in relief, he walked one and struck out two.

Alex Eubanks (win, 4-1) fired two scoreless innings in relief, picking up a strikeout.

The Wood Ducks added on in the late innings. In the seventh, Sam Huff lined a two run single, as part of a three run inning. Then in the eighth, the Wood Ducks sent eight men to the plate. Ryan Dorow lined a two run single, and two batters later, Huff came through again with single to center to plate two more, putting the Wood Ducks ahead, 10-2.

Salem's second run came in the top of the eighth, when Isaias Lucena doubled home Garrett Benge. Joe Kuzia (save, 2) got the final out of the eight, entering with a 3-2 lead, and stayed on for a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the year.

Game 2:

Win: Sal Mendez (2-0)

Loss: Dylan Thompson (0-4)

Save: Jefferson Medina (2)

Box Score

Sal Mendez (win, 2-0) fired five strong innings, giving up just one run on seven hits, and struck out three without walking a batter, to lead the Wood Ducks in game two. He earned his first win as a starter this year, stranding six men on base.

Julio Pablo Martinez led the Wood Ducks at the plate. Martinez put Down East ahead 1-0 in the second with an RBI single to score Diosbel Arias, and then later in the inning, Eric Jenkins singled to right to plate Martinez, as the Woodies went ahead, 2-0 against Dylan Thompson (loss, 0-4).

Thompson went on to work 5.1 innings giving up three runs on seven hits, he walked two, and struck out five. The only other run he allowed came on a solo home run from Martinez in the fourth, his fourth with the Wood Ducks, and fifth on the season overall.

The lone Red Sox run came in the third inning, when Nick Lovullo doubled down the left field line to lead off the frame, and then came into score on a Ryan Fitzgerald RBI single to left.

Jefferson Medina (save, 1) made his first appearance with Down East, tossing two scoreless innings to earn the save. He pitched around two walks in the sixth inning, and then stranded a two out single in the ninth to preserve the win.

The Wood Ducks go for the series sweep tomorrow when they send lefty Jake Latz (3-1, 2.86) to the mound to face off with Salem righty Daniel Gonzalez (1-5, 3.97). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and gates open at 4 p.m. with the first 1,000 fans receiving a Wood Ducks themed beach jersey, presented by Spirit Aerosystems. The broadcast will begin at 5:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online at 960thebull.com as well as on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio apps. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172.

Check out the Down East Wood Ducks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 31, 2019


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