Hector Nieves and Jackson Loftin hit back-to-back home runs that ended up being the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (42-50, 12-14 second half) only two hits in Thursday’s 6-4 loss to the Down East Wood Ducks (49-39, 11-16 second half) at Segra Stadium.
The loss ended the Woodpeckers’ four-game winning streak.
Down East got on the board quickly with a two-run single by Anthony Gutierrez in the top of the first against Alimber Santa (L, 2-7). The Ducks did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game. Jackson Loftin helped cut the score to 2-1, walking to lead off the first, then stealing second and third base to give him 41 total stolen bases on the year. He scored moments later on a groundout by Tyler Whitaker.
Santa surrendered five total runs for the day, including one in the second inning on a Zion Bannister homer, another in the third on a bases-loaded double-play ball, and one in the fourth on a Gleider Figuereo single.
Again, the Woodpeckers found a way to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the third. Nieves connected for his first home run in Single-A off Wilian Bormie, and Loftin followed on the very next pitch with a deep drive into the left-center field seats. It was the first time all year that the Woodpeckers had hit back-to-back homers.
Trailing 5-4 in the top of the eighth inning, Griffin Cheney hit a solo home run off Andrew Taylor to give Down East another two-run advantage. Taylor was otherwise solid, completing four plus innings and with just the one run allowed on two total hits.
Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (SV, 1) pitched the bottom of the ninth and set down the side in order to record the save.
The six-game series continues Friday night with the first pitch scheduled at 7:05 p.m.
The Woodpeckers are projected to start right-hander Carlos Espinosa (1-2, 3.04 ERA), and Down East will roll out right-hander Joseph Montalvo (6-1, 2.20 ERA).
It’s Wizards & Magic Night when for one night, Segra Stadium will transform into a school of witchcraft and wizardry. The first 1,000 fans in the ballpark will have their choice of their own wizard soccer jersey.
Single-game tickets are available here: https://www.milb.com/fayetteville/tickets/single-game-tickets
Box score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/727980/final/box