Woodpeckers Drop Marathon 12-Inning Game in Return Home

June 14, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release

Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (26-33) lineup connected for 14 hits and the pitching staff struck out 16 in a well-rounded 7-2 victory over the Columbia Fireflies (33-26) on Wednesday night at Segra Stadium. Nic Swanson racked up a career-high ten strikeouts, Zach Cole tripled twice, and Roilan Machandy connected for his first Carolina League home run.

The first of Cole's two triples came in his first at bat of the game, ripping a deep fly ball over the center fielder. Two batters later, Cole scored on a single to left field from Narbe Cruz, a base hit that extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games. Cruz finished 3-for-5 in the game and has consecutive multi-hit games to begin the series.

In the bottom of the second inning, Machandy smashed a solo home run into the left field bullpen off top Royals pitching prospects Ben Kudrna. The long ball was the first for Machandy in full-season professional baseball and the fifth of his pro career to give Fayetteville a 2-0 lead.

Amilcar Chirinos was nearly perfect across a three-inning start. The 21-year-old from Venezuela tossed three hitless innings, struck out six and allowed just one baserunner on a walk. Nic Swanson (W, 3-2) entered from the bullpen in the fourth inning and kicked his night off with a dominant stretch, striking out six hitters in a row. On the last of the six strikeouts, the third strike pitch sailed to the backstop and Dionmy Salon made it on safely with an errant throw up the first base line. Roger Leyton then reached on a fielding error in left, and Jean Ramirez drove in both runners with a single to level the game 2-2. Both runs were unearned against Swanson's line.

Fayetteville quickly got the two runs back on a two-run triple from Cole in the sixth inning, taking the outright 4-2 lead. Three more runs poured in during the seventh against Eduardo Herrera (L, 4-1) on RBI singles from Dauri Lorenzo and Roilan Machandy. Cole drew a base-loaded walk in the inning as well to cap a three-RBI night and a 7-2 lead.

Swanson pitched all the way to the finish, putting up a second straight six-inning performance and striking out a career-high ten Columbia hitters.

The series continues Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 PM. The Woodpeckers are projected to start LHP Trey Dombroski and the Fireflies will counter with LHP Frank Mozzicato.

Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Brett Gillis at bat

Carolina League Stories from June 14, 2023

• Woodpeckers Drop Marathon 12-Inning Game in Return Home - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
• Shorebirds Split Doubleheader with Red Sox - Delmarva Shorebirds
• BATS SCUFFLE IN 1-0 DEFEAT - Fredericksburg Nationals
• RiverDogs Can't Get Over Hump, Walked Off on Wednesday - Charleston RiverDogs
• Bullpen Falters in 7-2 Loss to Woodpeckers - Columbia Fireflies
• Hillcats Top RiverDogs Again - Lynchburg Hillcats
• Perez and Sibrian Homer in 6-5 Loss in Augusta - Carolina Mudcats
• Workinger, Celedonio Homer Again as Augusta Notches Second Straight Win - Augusta GreenJackets
• Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.14 at Fayetteville - Columbia Fireflies
• Shorebirds Dominant in Series Opener - Salem Red Sox
• Rookie out of Florida State Navigates his First Year in the Minors - Lynchburg Hillcats
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