Woodpeckers Return from All-Star Break with Win over Cannon Ballers
July 22, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release
Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)
Kannapolis, NC - After four days off for the MLB All Star break, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers returned to the diamond with a vengeance.
Yeuris Ramirez drove in three runs, Joey Loperfido and Logan Cerny had a pair of RBIs each, and the Woodpeckers (38-48, 7-14) won the series opener Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, (39-49, 13-9), 10-5. Fayetteville has won each of their last four contests against the Cannon Ballers.
The Woodpeckers wasted no time getting the offense going on the road. In the top of the first, a fielding error by Kannapolis third baseman Wes Kath allowed Jaxon Hallmark to score from second. Moments later, Cerny grounded one sharply down the left field line for an RBI double to make it 2-0. The Cannon Ballers got one back in the bottom half against Fayetteville starter Alex Santos on a fielder's choice from Wilfred Veras.
The offense continued to produce for the Woodpeckers in the third inning. Loperfido ripped a line drive up the middle off Kannapolis' pitcher Brooks Gosswein (L, 3-5) to plate Hallmark and made it to second with a double. Cerny followed with a base hit to drive in Loperfido and bring the lead to 4-1. Once again, the Cannon Ballers fought back in the bottom half. Veras reached on an infield single with the bases loaded to score DJ Gladney before Colby Smelley doubled Veras in, cutting the lead to one once again.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next three innings with Edinson Batista (W, 5-3) pitching flawlessly for Fayetteville. But the Woodpeckers once again found their rhythm at the plate. Hallmark reached on a single and advanced to scoring position on a passed ball. Loperfido then drove him in with another double to push the edge back to two. Cerny singled and Tyler Whitaker drew a two-out walk which brought up Leosdany Molina, who was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 6-3. The next hitter was Ramirez and he sent a single into center field to score Cerny and Whitaker. Molina closed out a five-run seventh inning by scoring on a passed ball by Smelley.
Batista recorded the first two outs in the bottom of the eighth before turning the ball over to Jayson Schroeder. The righty had a bit of trouble with control as a couple of walks and a hit by pitch plated a run for Kannapolis. However, Schroeder got Kath to ground out with the bases loaded to minimize the damage.
Fayetteville added another insurance run in the ninth when Ramirez brought home Whitaker on a sacrifice fly after the latter led off the inning with a double. Fabricio Reina came on for the bottom of the ninth and although he surrendered a sac fly to Benyamin Bailey, a great throw from Cerny later in the frame threw out Smelley at the plate to end the ballgame.
The two teams will play their second of three games this weekend Saturday night at SRP Park. RHP Miguel Ullola looks to continue his strong 2022 season with the Woodpeckers while RHP Norge Vera gets the start for the Cannon Ballers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 ET.
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 Fayetteville Woodpeckers in action |
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