ZEBULON — The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (19-32) entered the bottom of the ninth up three runs Tuesday night at Five County Stadium, but the Carolina Mudcats (30-19) erased the deficit and went on to walk off the Woodpeckers in the 11th inning with a final score of 7-6.
Fayetteville had one of its most prolific power games of the season, which led to an early edge. Zach Cole ripped a line drive over the wall in right to put the Woodpeckers up 2-0 in the top of the third. Later in the sixth, John Garcia tallied his fourth homer of the season with a solo shot that made it 4-2, Fayetteville. Then in the seventh, it was Jackson Loftin who launched his second of the year that gave the Woodpeckers a 6-3 lead heading into the ninth.
Jadher Areinamo led the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle against Fayetteville reliever Manuel Urias. The next batter was Hedbert Perez, who hit a towering two-run home run to quickly cut the deficit to just one run.
A two-out single from Gregory Barrios kept the game alive for Carolina, and he advanced to second on a Urias balk. That allowed Alexander Perez to line a game-tying RBI ground-rule double down the left field line, making it 6-6.
Urias was lifted after a walk issued to Luke Adams and Bryan Perez (L, 0-1) struck out Kay-Lan Nicasia looking to force extras.
The Woodpeckers were unable to score in the top half of the 10th, giving the Mudcats a chance to walk it off with Nicasia on second in the bottom half. Perez set down Jace Avina on strikes to begin the frame before Areinamo reached on an infield single.
After intentionally walking Hedbert Perez, Bryan Perez got Jheremy Vargas to pop out. However, the former then uncorked a wild pitch with Jose Sibrian at the plate, which scored Nicasia and ended the ballgame. Fayetteville has now lost all five extra-inning games it has played this season.
Both teams will have a quick turnaround for Wednesday as they will play a seven-inning doubleheader with the first game starting at 5 p.m. Right-hander Alimber Santa gets the start for the Woodpeckers while right-hander Quinton Low looks to make it two straight for Carolina.
