The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (10-14) played game three against the Charleston RiverDogs (14-10) on Thursday night from Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Ballpark. Javier Perez was on the mound for Fayetteville against Ethan Storm of Charleston.
The game was scoreless in the first two innings until the top of the third inning. Fayetteville had runners on second and third base when first baseman Nehomar Ochoa Jr. hit a two-run RBI double to center field. Nick Monistere and Josh Wakefield scored for a 2-0 lead. With two outs, a lineout by German Ramirez ended the inning.
Moving to the top of the fifth inning, Fayetteville had runners on second and third base when Charleston pitcher Ethan Storm threw a wild pitch. Anthony Huezo scored for a 3-0 lead. With two outs, Nehomar Ochoa Jr. struck out swinging, and the inning was over.
Charleston made a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning. They had runners on second and third base when Cooper Flemming hit a two-run double to right field. Derek Datil and Dean Moss scored, and the RiverDogs cut the deficit to 3-2. Fayetteville replaced Javier Perez with Charlie Weber.
With runners on first and second base, Brailer Guerrero hit an RBI single to third base. A throwing error by third baseman Nick Monistere allowed Cooper Manning and Taitn Gray to score, and the RiverDogs took a 4-3 lead. With two outs, Marshall Toole struck out swinging, and the inning was over.
Javier Perez pitched 4.2 innings, allowing five hits, four runs, two walks, and three strikeouts, throwing 80 pitches, of which 53 were strikes.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Charleston had runners on the corners when a passed ball by catcher Carlos Cauro allowed Alberth Palma to score and Yirer Garcia to steal second base. The RiverDogs now led 5-3. Derek Datil followed up with an RBI double to center field.
Yirer Garcia scored for a 6-3 lead. Dean Moss was next. He hit an RBI double to right field. Derek Datil scored for a 7-3 lead. Cooper Flemming was next. He hit an RBI double to right field. Moss scored for an 8-3 lead, but Flemming was called out at third base. A groundout by Taitn Gray ended the inning.
At the top of the eighth inning, Fayetteville had the bases loaded when a balk was called on Mason Nichols. Nehomar Ochoa Jr. scored, and the Woodpeckers cut the deficit to 8-4. Two batters later, with one out, Fayetteville designated hitter Yosweld Vasquez grounded out to second base. German Ramirez scored, and it was now 8-5. A pop-out by Carlos Cauro ended the inning.
Fayetteville pitcher Charlie Weber pitched 3.1 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, and four strikeouts, throwing 61 pitches, of which 43 were strikes.
At the top of the ninth inning, Anthony Huezo struck out, Nick Monistere flies out to center field, and Josh Wakefield struck out, and the game was over. The Woodpeckers lost to the RiverDogs by the final score of 8-5.
Fayetteville finished the night with six hits, committed three errors, went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. Nehomar Ochoa Jr. went 1 for 3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and two RBIs. The loss went to Fayetteville pitcher Javier Perez (1-2), while the win went to Charleston starter Ethan Storm (2-1), and Mason Nichols earned the save (3).
The Woodpeckers and RiverDogs play game four on Friday at 7:05 pm on the MLB App. Fayetteville has yet to name a starter, while Aidan Haugh (0-2, 9.18 ERA) will be on the mound for Charleston.
