Late Push Not Enough in Woodpeckers' Defeat to Mudcats
Published on July 6, 2023 under Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release
Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Jackson Loftin at bat
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)
Zebulon, NC - Despite a rally in the late innings, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (35-43, 5-7) came up short against the Carolina Mudcats (38-37, 5-7) Thursday night at Five County Stadium by a 6-3 final score. Carolina has now won two of three games in this week's series.
The Woodpeckers fell behind the eight ball early against the Mudcats as starter Andrew Taylor (L, 4-4) surrendered a Luis Castillo RBI double and a Hedbert Perez two-run home run in the bottom of the first. The following inning, Castillo reached on a fielding error by third baseman Ricardo Balogh that allowed Blayberg Diaz to cross the plate, making it 4-0.
Taylor settled in following the tough start and finished with six strikeouts over four innings before turning the ball over to Alimber Santa. Santa put together a solid outing, allowing just one earned run over his four frames while walking two and striking out four. An unearned run came in against him in the bottom of the sixth on a throwing error from Sandro Gaston to push Carolina's lead to five.
Fayetteville finally broke through offensively in the top of the seventh against Mudcats reliever Jose Chavez (W, 1-0). Leosdany Molina brought in Jackson Loftin on a one-out base hit to get his team on the board. The Woodpeckers crept even closer in the eighth on a John Garcia two-run double down the left field line. Garcia had a pair of hits and reached base three times in the ballgame.
In the bottom half of the eighth, Carolina added an insurance run when Santa had a wild pitch get away, scoring Perez. Chavez returned to the mound in the ninth and recorded the final three outs to earn the win.
Fayetteville will look to even up the series once again on Friday night in Zebulon. RHP Amilcar Chirinos gets the start for Fayetteville opposite Mudcats RHP Quinton Low. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 ET.
Images from this story
 Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Jackson Loftin at bat |
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