Luciano's Ninth Inning Swing Lands Eighty Deuces Walk-off Win Over Columbia
August 2, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (45-55, 16-18 2nd Half) pulled off their sixth walk-off of the season on Friday night as Waner Luciano delivered the game-winning swing in the bottom of the ninth to bag an 8-7 win over the Columbia Fireflies (52-45, 17-15 2nd Half).
A high-scoring contest was level 7-7 when the Woodpeckers stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth against Elvis Novas (L, 0-2). Alberto Hernandez started the inning with a single and Yamal Encarnacion followed with his third hit of the night to put two runners on with no outs. Luciano stood in and delivered a third straight hit, fishing out a low curveball for a liner into the left-center field gap. Hernandez raced across the plate from second to send the Fayetteville side into a frenzy.
Luciano finished his clutch night 3-for-5 at the plate with and RBI and two runs scored.
Fayetteville scored seven of their eight runs over the first two innings of the game. The lineup struck for four runs on seven hits in the opening frame against Mauricio Veliz. Jancel Villarroel tied the contest 1-1 with an RBI single, Will Bush scored Luciano with a grounder to second base, Alejandro Nunez singled home a run, and Xavier Casserilla capped the four-run rally with an RBI double.
Columbia cut back within a run on a two-run homer in the top of the second from Erick Torres.
A crooked number was added to the board again in the bottom of the second inning. Villarroel drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly and Bush swatted a two-run double out to the center field wall with the bases loaded for a 7-3 lead.
Yeriel Santos gave the three runs right back in the top of the third on a solo homer from Derlin Figueroa, a double steal with runners at the corners and a throwing error towards the plate off a grounder to first.
Colby Langford entered from the bullpen in the top of the fourth and surrendered the game-tying run on a Dionmy Salon RBI single. Langford walked six but navigated around trouble, allowing the lone run across 4.0 innings of relief work.
Hudson Leach (W, 1-2) kept the game square with a hitless eight and ninth to pick up his first Single-A victory and set the stage for the game-winning ninth.
The six-game series is level 2-2 going into Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. Fayetteville's projected starting pitcher is RHP Juan Nunez and Columbia will counter with Felix Arronde. It is Outdoors night and the first 1,000 fans in attendance at Segra Stadium will receive a free short sleeve hoodie presented by Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
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