The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (25-30) played game four against the Columbia Fireflies (25-30) on Friday night from Segra Stadium. Javier Perez was on the mound for Fayetteville against Darwin Rodriguez of Columbia.
The game was scoreless in the first two and a half innings. In the bottom of the third inning, Fayetteville third baseman Waner Luciano hit a double, and second baseman German Ramirez hit a single to put runners on the corners. Anthony Huezo followed up by hitting a three-run home run to right-center field to give the Woodpeckers a 3-0 lead. It was his ninth home run of the season. With two outs, Juan Sierra was called out on strikes, and the inning was over.
Fayetteville starter Javier Perez pitched a good game. He went seven innings, allowing two hits, and struck out 10, throwing 79 pitches, of which 60 were strikes. Charlie Weber pitched for Fayetteville at the top of the eighth inning.
At the top of the ninth inning, Columbia had runners on first and second base with two outs when Stone Russell hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Daniel Lopez, and the Fireflies trailed the Woodpeckers 3-1. Second baseman Yandel Ricardo hit an RBI double to left field, scoring Henry Ramos, and it was now 3-2.
With two outs, a flyout by Roni Cabrera ended the game. The Woodpeckers held on to beat the Fireflies 3-2. Weber pitched two innings, allowing four hits, two runs, and three strikeouts, throwing 43 pitches, of which 30 were strikes.
Fayetteville finished the night with five hits, went 2 for 5 with runners in scoring position, and left four men on base. Anthony Huezo went 1 for 3 with a home run, a walk, and three RBIs. The win went to Fayetteville starter Javier Perez (4-3), Charlie Weber earned his third save of the season, and the loss went to Columbia pitcher Darwin Rodriguez (2-4)
The Woodpeckers and Fireflies play game five on Saturday at 7:05 pm on the MLB App. Fayetteville has yet to name a starter, while Michael Lombardi (2-1, 2.39 ERA) will be on the mound for Columbia.
