The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (28-34) held a pair of three-run leads during Saturday night’s ball game but saw the Columbia Fireflies (34-28) score five unanswered runs across the eighth and ninth innings to rip the contest away 7-5.
The loss ended a three-game winning streak at home and sets up a series-deciding game on Sunday.
Three of the five Fayetteville runs crossed over the first two innings of the game. Zach Cole led off the first inning with a walk and got aggressive on the bases. He stole second, then broke for third and a throw from the catcher sailed wide into left field to bring him home for the 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Dauri Lorenzo drove home Jackson Loftin with a single, and Leosdany Molina extended to a 3-0 lead with a sacrifice fly that scored Yamal Encarnacion. Lorenzo had an efficient day at the plate, finishing the day 3-for-4 with three singles.
Jose Fleury pitched 4.2 innings in his start for Fayetteville and struck out eight. He allowed both of his runs on a two-run home run to Jean Ramirez in the top of the third that cut the game down to 3-2. The eight strikeouts tied Fleury’s season-high mark.
An RBI double by Yamal Encarnacion in the bottom of the fourth and an RBI single by Cole in the seventh jumped the Woodpeckers out to another three-run lead at 5-2.
With Tyler Guilfoil on the mound in the eighth, Austin Charles drove in a run with a single and Lizandro Rodriguez tied the game 5-5 on a two-run double. Deury Carrasco (L, 3-4) took over after the double and recorded the final two outs of the inning. He returned for the ninth and allowed the go-ahead swing to Charles, a two-out, two-run double down the left field line that provided Columbia with its sole lead of the day 7-5.
Cooper McKeehan (W, 6-1) recorded the final eight outs of the game out of the Fireflies bullpen and set down the Fayetteville side in order in the bottom of the ninth inning with three groundouts to short and recorded his second win of the series.
The Woodpeckers have a chance to clinch the series victory with a win on Sunday.
Fayetteville is projected to start right-hander Nolan DeVos (2-1, 2.27 ERA) on the mound, and Columbia will counter with right-hander Mauricio Veliz (1-2, 3.73 ERA).
The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m..
Full box score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/727995/final/box
