The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (54-52, 22-19) returned to Segra Stadium on Tuesday night against the Fredericksburg Nationals (67-41, 21-21). Charlie Weber was on the mound for Fayetteville against Landon Harmon of Fredericksburg. The game started with a half-hour rain delay.
At the top of the first inning, Fredericksburg had a runner on second base with two outs when Hunter Hines hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Gavin Fien to put the Nationals up 1-0. Hines got greedy, trying to run to third base, but he was called out to end the inning. Rain returned to Segra Stadium at the top of the third inning, sending the game into another delay.
The game would eventually be suspended and did not resume until Wednesday at 4:30 pm. Charlie Weber went three innings, allowing two hits, a run, and three strikeouts, throwing 27 pitches, of which 22 were strikes.
At the top of the third inning, Fayetteville had the bases loaded when Kevin Alvarez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, scoring Arturo Flores, and the game was tied 1-1. Waner Luciano struck out swinging, and the inning was over.
Aubrey Smith pitched for Fayetteville in the bottom of the third inning. Moving to the bottom of the sixth inning, Smith put two runners on base with two outs when Hunter Hines hit a three-run home run to right-center field to put the Nationals up 4-1. It was his 10th home run of the season. Smith struck out Rafael Ramirez Jr. to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Fayetteville had the bases loaded with two outs when Aaron Piasecki worked a four-pitch walk, scoring Logan Hughes. The Woodpeckers cut Fredericksburg’s lead to 4-2. A flyout by Luis De Leon ended the inning.
Aubrey Smith went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, three runs, two walks, and five strikeouts, throwing 75 pitches, of which 45 were strikes. John Carver pitched for Fayetteville at the top of the eighth inning.
Moving to the bottom of the eighth inning, Fayetteville had runners on the corners with one out when Aaron Piasecki grounded out to second baseman Rafael Ramirez Jr., scoring Owen Nowak. It was now 4-3. Luis De Leon followed up by reaching first base on a throwing error by second baseman Rafael Ramirez Jr., scoring Jayden Fielder, and the game was tied 4-4. Arturo Flores struck out swinging, and the inning was over.
John Carver went an inning, allowing a hit, three walks, and one strikeout, throwing 27 pitches, of which 11 were strikes. Mick Uebelhor replaced Carver at the top of the ninth inning with two outs. Coy James grounded into a force out at second to end the inning. Uebelhor threw two pitches, of which one was a strike.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Fayetteville shortstop Kam Durnin hit a single and later went to second base on a wild pitch. With two outs, Waner Luciano walked it off with a game-winning RBI single to left field, scoring Durnin, and the Woodpecker beat the Nationals 5-4.
Fayetteville finished the game with seven hits, went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and left eight men on base. Waner Luciano went 1 for 4 with a walk, a single, and one RBI. The went to Fayetteville pitcher Mick Uebelhor (1-0), and the loss went to Fredericksburg pitcher Cesar Rojas (3-3).
The Woodpeckers and Nationals play game two at 7:20 pm on the MLB App and Bally Sports Live. Juan Fraide (6-1, 3.34 ERA) will be on the mound for Fayetteville against Marlon De La Cruz (1-4, 5.70 ERA) of Fredericksburg.
