CarL Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Matthews Hits First Homer, But Woodpeckers Stifled by Pelicans

August 9, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release


Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Brice Matthews at bat
Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Brice Matthews at bat
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)

Myrtle Beach, SC - Houston Astros 2023 first round pick Brice Matthews launched the first home run of his professional baseball career Wednesday night at Pelicans Ballpark, but the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (45-59, 15-23) were unable to close the gap and fell 4-2 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (59-44, 20-18). Fayetteville has now dropped five straight ballgames.

The Pelicans jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the first inning. Woodpeckers' starter Carlos Espinosa (L, 2-3) surrendered an RBI double to Brett Bateman and a two-run shot to cleanup hitter Brian Kalmer. Espinosa settled in after the rough first frame however and ended up going four and two-thirds on the night.

Ryan Johnson slugged his third home run of the season to lead off the second inning and pump some life into the Fayetteville offense. Then in the fifth, it was Matthews who stepped in and blasted a 369-foot homer to left field to bring the Woodpeckers within a run. The former Nebraska Husker finished 1-for-3 with the home run and a walk and has reached base five times to begin the series.

Thanks to some big outs in the middle innings from Espinosa and relievers Ian Foggo and Amilcar Chirinos, the score stayed at 3-2 going into the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Myrtle Beach's Cristian Hernandez broke for third base and an errant throw from Sandro Gaston ended up in left field, allowing Hernandez to score and give the Pelicans added insurance going into the ninth.

Scarlyn Lebron (SV, 1) returned to the mound in the ninth after a scoreless eighth and after walking Garret Guillemette, the Myrtle Beach righty struck out Jeron Williams and Pascanel Ferreras swinging to secure the 12th straight win for the Pelicans over Fayetteville.

The Woodpeckers will try to end the dry spell on Thursday night with LHP Trey Dombroski getting the start, one punch out shy of climbing into the Fayetteville single season top five for total strikeouts in team history. Myrtle Beach gives the ball to RHP Luis Rujano. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 ET.

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Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Brice Matthews at bat
Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Brice Matthews at bat
   



Carolina League Stories from August 9, 2023


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