In the final home game of the first half, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (29-34) rallied to a big lead with a four-run bottom of the third and cruised for the remainder of the game to a 6-1 victory over the Columbia Fireflies (34-29) at Segra Stadium on Sunday.
The Woodpeckers closed the week with a 4-2 record at home and a series victory over the south division opponents. The club also finished with a 13-20 record across 33 first-half home games.
Columbia’s only run of the day scored against Nolan DeVos in the top of the first. Jean Ramirez led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a bunt, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Austin Charles.
A Roilan Machandy RBI single drove home Dauri Lorenzo in the bottom of the second inning, quickly leveling the game 1-1.
All nine Fayetteville hitters stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third against Columbia starter Mauricio Veliz (L, 1-3). Zach Cole led off with a single and Luis Encarnacion put two in scoring position with a double, the first of four hits in the game for Encarnacion.
Ricardo Balogh drove in both runners with a two-run single to center field to grab the 3-1 advantage. A fourth straight hit followed from Narbe Cruz, doubling off the left field wall. Jackson Loftin and Leosdany Molina capped the four-run frame with sacrifice flies that pushed the lead to 5-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, Cole started the inning with a bang, blasting a solo home run to left center field for the 6-1 cushion. The homer was the 10th of the season for the Woodpeckers home run leader, ranking sixth across the Carolina League home run leaderboard.
Nolan DeVos benefited from the run support but fell just one out shy of becoming eligible for the winning decision. The right-hander and fifth-round draft pick out of Davidson pitched 4.2 innings and scattered just three hits while striking out eight before Ian Foggo recorded the final out of the fifth inning out of the bullpen.
Alimber Santa (W, 2-4) closed the game, entering in relief in the sixth inning. The 20-year-old from the Dominican Republic struck out five over four scoreless innings of work, marking his second scoreless day on the mound this season.
The Woodpeckers will be off on Monday before traveling to Charleston, South Carolina, on Tuesday for the start of a six-game road series.
First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The starting pitchers are to be determined.
The first half of the season will end following the Thursday night game in Charleston.
Full box score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/727985/final/box
