Woodpeckers Erase Two Deficits Before Falling in Extra Innings
Published on July 29, 2023 under Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release
Fayetteville Woodpeckers at bat
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)
Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (42-52, 12-16 2nd Half) overcame a 3-0 deficit and 4-3 deficit on Saturday night to force extra innings before falling 5-4 in ten frames to the Down East Wood Ducks (51-39, 14-15 2nd Half) at Segra Stadium. Despite a third loss in a row, newly acquired Houston Astros draft picks Brice Matthews, Ryan Johnson and Jeron Williams all came up with hits in their Single-A debuts.
Four of the five Down East runs scored with two outs, including three against Trey Dombroski over the first four innings of the game. Gleider Figuereo singled home a run in the first, plus Anthony Guitierrez and JoJo Blackmon linked for consecutive two-out RBI hits in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. Dombroski completed four innings and struck out five while not issuing a walk.
Still scoreless in the sixth, Ryan Johnson ended the drought with a two-run home run to left-center field off Kohl Drake, cutting the score to 3-2. The homer was the first in Johnson's pro career. He was selected in the 8th round out of Pepperdine in this year's draft.
In the seventh, Luis Encarnacion hustled out a would-be double-play ball that allowed John Garcia to score from third and tie the game 3-3.
Figuereo had a quick response in the top of the eighth, singling home Andres Mesa for a 4-3 Down East advantage.
With two-outs in the bottom of the eighth and needing a run, Hector Nieves delivered the big swing, tying the game at 4-4 with a 406 ft. homer to right field. The home run was the second of the series for Nieves. Luis Baez nearly won the game in the bottom of the ninth, slugging a double off the middle of the left-center field wall on the fly. Baez ended up being stranded on base to extend the game to the tenth.
Fayetteville reliever Deury Carrasco (L, 4-5) struck out the side in order in the top of the ninth ninth and returned to pitch in extra innings. He gave up a one-out single to Ian Moller that scored the free runner Andres Mesa. It proved to be the winning run once Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (W, 1-1) retired the side in order in the bottom of the tenth to seal the game.
The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 PM. Fayetteville is projected to start LHP Jose Nodal (1-9, 7.49 ERA) and Down East will counter with RHP Bryan Chi (0-0, 0.00 ERA). It's Houston Astros Day at Segra Stadium as we honor our big league club! The first 1,000 fans in the park will receive a bobblehead of former Woodpeckers infielder and World Series MVP Jeremy Peña, courtesy of DSI.
Images from this story
 Fayetteville Woodpeckers at bat |
Carolina League Stories from July 29, 2023
- Woodpeckers Erase Two Deficits Before Falling in Extra Innings - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Ballers Clinch Victory in Rain-Shortened Saturday Night Showdown vs. Shorebirds - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Fredericksburg Snaps Slide With 12-2 Win - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Ramsey Inches Closer to History in Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs, GreenJackets Postponed by Unplayable Field Conditions - Charleston RiverDogs
- Pelicans Win Fifth Straight, Take Down Nationals 9-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 7.29 vs Carolina - Columbia Fireflies
- Garcia's 2-Run Homer Isn't Enough, as Lynchburg Routes Salem - Salem Red Sox
- Woodpeckers Add Astros 2023 Draft Picks Brice Matthews, Ryan Johnson and Jeron Williams to Roster - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
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.
