Monster Fifth Inning Powers Fayetteville to Fifth Straight Victory

June 10, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release

Zebulon, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (24-32) exploded for five runs in the fifth inning as they took down the Carolina Mudcats (30-24) by a final score of 8-2. Fayetteville has now won five straight games, their second-longest winning streak of the 2023 season.

The Woodpeckers prefaced the big inning with a pair of runs in the third. Leosdany Molina led off with a walk against Carolina's Yujanyer Herrera (L, 1-3) before Zach Cole laced an RBI triple to the gap in left center two batters later. Cole scored moments later on a Jackson Loftin groundout to make it 2-0 Fayetteville.

Herrera kept the Peckers' bats quiet in the fourth but ran into big trouble in the fifth. Molina led off again, this time with a single, and Cole found the gap once again for an RBI double. Loftin walked and he and Cole pulled off a double steal to set the stage for Narbe Cruz, who doubled both men home to push the lead to five. After a mound visit for the Mudcats, Luis Encarnacion hammered a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw for his third long ball of the season, capping off the huge inning.

The offense was plenty for Woodpeckers' starter Jose Nodal (W, 1-5), who put together arguably his best start of the year. Nodal surrendered just one hit over five scoreless frames while walking three and striking out four. The debuting Luis Angel Rodriguez (SV, 1) came on in the sixth and faced the minimum in his first inning of work before surrendering an RBI single to Jadher Areinamo in the seventh that broke up the shutout bid.

Fayetteville got that run back in the top of the ninth on a Sandro Gaston base hit that brought home Cruz. Rodriguez returned to the hill in the bottom half and gave up a run-scoring double to Jesus Chirinos but got the final three outs to record the save and give Nodal his first Single-A win.

Sunday afternoon marks the series finale of the seven-game set with the Woodpeckers having the chance to tie their season-long winning streak. RHP Andrew Taylor gets the ball for Fayetteville opposite Carolina RHP Will Rudy. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 ET.

Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action

Carolina League Stories from June 10, 2023

• Monster Fifth Inning Powers Fayetteville to Fifth Straight Victory - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
• Wood Ducks Rally to Defeat Shorebirds in Extras - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Mudcats Drop Fifth Straight 8-2 to Fayetteville - Carolina Mudcats
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• Nationals Fall 6-4 To Charleston - Fredericksburg Nationals
• Isaac's Ninth Inning Home Run Propels RiverDogs to 6-4 Win - Charleston RiverDogs
• Fireflies' Bats Silenced in 3-0 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
• Shears Promoted; Vallecillo Reinstated - Carolina Mudcats
• Winning Streak Ends in Slugfest with GreenJackets - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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