CarL Fayetteville Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers Tie Franchise Record with Sixth Consecutive Win

June 11, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release


Fayetteville Woodpeckers shortstop Narbe Cruz
Fayetteville Woodpeckers shortstop Narbe Cruz
(Fayetteville Woodpeckers)

Zebulon, NC - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (25-32) continued their winning ways on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium, defeating the Carolina Mudcats (30-25) 6-3 to earn their sixth straight victory. The win equaled the club's record for longest winning streak that had been done twice prior to Sunday, one of which was in April of this season.

It was a mammoth first inning at the plate that propelled the Woodpeckers in front right away. A two-out walk for Ricardo Balogh and single from Narbe Cruz brought up Luis Encarnacion, who ripped a double to left center that brought both men in to make it 2-0, his tenth hit of the series. The next batter was Garrett McGowan, and the lefty bashed his first minor league home run over the wall in right to double the lead and cap off a four-run top of the first.

The offense hit a bit of a lull for Fayetteville in the middle innings except for Cruz. He lined a double to left in the third inning and then cracked a solo shot over everything in left for his fourth homer of the year and his third hit of the game. Cruz added a single in the eighth, becoming just the second four-hit ballgame of the year by a Woodpecker.

The quartet of Tyler Guilfoil, Bryan Perez, Andrew Taylor (W, 3-2), and Kasey Ford combined to shut out the Mudcats over the first five frames. Jose Fleury (SV, 2) entered in the bottom of the sixth and ran into some trouble, allowing two runners on with two away. In stepped Carolina's Kay-Lan Nicasia, who blasted a three-run home run off the scoreboard in right to bring the Mudcats within a pair.

Fleury quickly settled in following the homer. The righty gave up just one hit the rest of the way, completing a four-inning save and punching out seven batters to boot. Fleury's efforts were aided by a solo home run in the eighth off the bat of Balogh, his second bomb of the series and third of the year. It was the second time all season that Fayetteville recorded three home runs as a team, both coming this week in Zebulon.

The Woodpeckers have Monday off before they get a chance to set a new win streak record back at Segra Stadium on Tuesday against the Columbia Fireflies. It is the second and final six-game series between the two teams in 2023 with Columbia taking the first series at Segra Park in April. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 ET in Fayetteville.

BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/728321/final/box

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Images from this story

Fayetteville Woodpeckers shortstop Narbe Cruz
Fayetteville Woodpeckers shortstop Narbe Cruz
   



Carolina League Stories from June 11, 2023


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