Sports stats

CarL Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Nieves and Loftin Go Back-To-Back in Loss to Down East

July 27, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release


Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Ricky Rivera congratulates Hector Nieves
Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Ricky Rivera congratulates Hector Nieves
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)

Fayetteville, NC - Hector Nieves and Jackson Loftin hit back-to-back home runs that ended up being the Fayetteville Woodpeckers' (42-50, 12-14 2nd Half) only two hits of the game during Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Down East Wood Ducks (49-39, 11-16 2nd Half) at Segra Stadium. The loss ended the Woodpeckers four-game winning streak.

Down East got on the board quickly with a two-run single from Anthony Gutierrez in the top of the first against Alimber Santa (L, 2-7), and did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game. Jackson Loftin helped cut the score to 2-1, walking to lead off the first, then stealing second and third base to give him 41 total stolen bases on the year. He scored moments later on a groundout from Tyler Whitaker.

Santa surrendered five total runs on the day, including one in the second inning on a Zion Bannister homer, another in the third on a bases-loaded double-play ball, and one in the fourth on a Gleider Figuereo single.

Again, the Woodpeckers found a way to chip away at the deficit during the bottom of the third. Nieves connected for his first home run in Single-A off Wilian Bormie and Loftin followed on the very next pitch with a deep drive into the left-center field seats. It was the first time all year that the Woodpeckers had hit back-to-back homers.

Trailing 5-4 in the top of the eighth inning, Griffin Cheney hit a solo home run off Andrew Taylor to give Down East another two-run advantage. Taylor was otherwise solid, completing four plus innings and striking out eighth with just the one run allowed on two total hits.

Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (SV, 1) pitched the bottom of the ninth and set down the side in order to record the save.

The six-game series continues Friday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM. The Woodpeckers are projected to start RHP Carlos Espinosa (1-2, 3.04 ERA) and Down East will roll out RHP Joseph Montalvo (6-1, 2.20 ERA). It's Wizards & Magic Night where for one night Segra Stadium will transform into a school of witchcraft and wizardry. The first 1,000 fans in the ballpark will have their choice of their own wizard soccer jersey. Single-game tickets are available here: https://www.milb.com/fayetteville/tickets/single-game-tickets

Check out the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Statistics




Images from this story

Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Ricky Rivera congratulates Hector Nieves
Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Ricky Rivera congratulates Hector Nieves
   



Carolina League Stories from July 27, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Fayetteville Woodpeckers Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central