The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (2-0) visited Virginia Credit Union Stadium on Thursday night to take on the Fredericksburg Nationals (0-2) in Game 2 of the Carolina League North Division Finals. Jagger Bech was on the mound for Fayetteville against Landon Harmon for Fredericksburg.
At the top of the first inning, Fayetteville left fielder Owen Nowak worked a four-pitch walk. He later stole second base before Kam Durnin hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Nowak to give the Woodpeckers a 1-0 lead. Center fielder Kevin Alvarez followed up by hitting an RBI single to left field, scoring Durnin for a 2-0 lead. With two outs, a flyout by Aaron Piasecki ended the inning.
At the top of the second inning, Fayetteville first baseman Ben Tryon worked a four-pitch walk. With one out, catcher Arturo Flores hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Tryon for a 3-0 lead. German Ramirez lined out to pitcher Landon Harmon for an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the second inning, Jagger Beck loaded the bases with two outs when Manuel Cabrera grounded out to second baseman German Ramirez for the third out. In the bottom of the third inning with one out, Hunter Hines hit a solo home run to right field, cutting Fayetteville’s lead to 3-1. With one out, Gavin Fien grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
At the top of the fifth inning, German Ramirez hit a single, followed by back-to-back walks from Owen Nowak and Kam Durnin, which loaded the bases for Kevin Alvarez. Alvarez worked a four-pitch walk, scoring Ramirez for a 4-1 lead. Waner Luciano struck out, and Aaron Piasecki grounded into a 6-3 inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jagger put a runner on base with two outs before he was replaced by Ryan Verdugo. Verdugo struck out Coy James to end the inning. Jagger Beck went 4.2 innings, allowing six hits, one run, two walks, and five strikeouts, throwing 67 pitches, of which 42 were strikes.
At the top of the sixth inning, Fayetteville had a runner on third base with two outs when German Ramirez hit an RBI triple to center field, scoring Rashawn Galloway for a 5-1 lead. Owen Nowak worked a four-pitch walk, which would lead to a pitching change for Fredericksburg. Nowak stole second base, and German Ramirez stole home plate for a 6-1 lead. Kam Durnin hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Nowak for a 7-1 lead. Kevin Alvarez popped out to third baseman Manuel Cabrera for the final out of the inning.
At the top of the seventh inning with one out, Fayetteville first baseman Ben Tryon hit an RBI double over the head to center fielder Dashyll Tejeda, scoring Aaron Piasecki for an 8-1 lead. Tryon tried to reach third base, but was called out. A flyout by Rashawn Galloway ended the inning.
Fayetteville pitcher Ryan Verdugo went 4.1 innings, allowing a hit and six strikeouts, throwing 52 pitches, of which 37 were strikes, as the Woodpeckers beat the Nationals 8-1 to advance to the Carolina League Championship Game for the first time in seven years.
Fayetteville finished the night with 10 hits, committed two errors, went four for nine with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. German Ramirez went 2 for 4 with a triple, two stolen bases, and an RBI. The win went to Fayetteville pitcher Ryan Verdugo (1-0), and the loss went to Fredericksburg starter Landon Harmon (0-1).
The Woodpeckers will play either the Charleston RiverDogs or the Hickory Crawdads in the Carolina League title game beginning on Sunday. Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will be played at Segra Stadium. Click here to purchase championship tickets.
