The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (44-44, 12-11) concluded the three-game series against Augusta GreenJackets (49-41, 14-10) on Sunday evening at Segra Stadium. Aubrey Smith was on the mound for Fayetteville against Carter Holton of Augusta.
At the top of the first inning, Aubrey Smith loaded the bases when Augusta catcher Tanner Smith hit a two-run RBI single to center fielder, scoring Alex Lodise and Juan Mateo for a 2-0 lead. Junior Garcia followed up by hitting a two-run RBI single to right field, scoring Cody Miller and Tanner Smith as the GreenJackets extended their lead to 4-0.
With two outs, Smith struck out Hayden Friese to end the inning. Smith allowed three hits, four runs, three walks, and struck out one, throwing 36 pitches, of which 15 were strikes. Leomar Rosario pitched for Fayetteville at the top of the second inning. Rosario allowed a hit and struck out one, throwing 12 pitches, of which 10 were strikes, to get three outs.
At the top of the third inning, Augusta had runners on second and third base when Cooper McMurray hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Cody Miller for a 5-0 lead. Junior Garcia grounded into a 3-6-3 double play, and Tanner Smith scored for a 6-0 lead. A flyout by Joe Olsavsky ended the inning. Rosario went two innings, allowing three hits, two runs, one walk, and one strikeout, throwing 27 pitches, of which 19 were strikes.
Jesus Carrera pitched for Fayetteville at the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Alex Lodise hit a solo home run to left-center field for a 7-0 lead. It was his 19th home run of the season. With two outs, a flyout by Cody Miller ended the inning. Jesus Carrera went five innings, allowing five hits, one run, one walk, and struck out three, throwing 74 pitches, of which 53 were strikes.
Ryan Mathiesen pitched for Fayetteville at the top of the ninth inning. He allowed a hit, a walk, and struck out one, throwing 16 pitches, of which eight were strikes, to get three outs.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Fayetteville had runners on first and second base with one out when Yosweld Vasquez hit an RBI double to left field, scoring Juan Sierra. It was now 7-1. With two outs, Josh Wakefield hit an infield single to shortstop Alex Lodise, scoring Carlos Cauro, and it was now 7-2.
After a pitching change, German Ramirez hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Yosweld Vasquez, and it was now 7-3. Kevin Alvarez followed up by hitting a two-run RBI double to left field, scoring Josh Wakefield and German Ramirez. It was now 7-5. Fayetteville’s luck ran out after Waner Luciano struck out swinging. The Woodpeckers lost the series finale 7-5. They take two of three from Augusta.
Fayetteville finished the night with seven hits, went 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men on base. Kevin Alvarez went 1 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. The loss went to Fayetteville starter Aubrey Smith (1-6), and the win went to Augusta starter Carter Holton (2-1).
The Woodpeckers will hit the road to start a six-game series at Virginia Credit Union Stadium on Tuesday against the Fredericksburg Nationals at 6:35 pm on the MLB App and Bally Sports Live.
