Big innings propel Woodies past Nats Wednesday afternoon
Down East Wood Ducks outfielder Franklin Rollin slides into home with the winning run in Wednesday's 7-5 win against the Potomac Nationals at Historic Grainger Stadium. Rollin scored the winning run on a two-RBI double by Leody Tavares. Photo by Linda Whittington / Neuse News
The Down East Wood Ducks only scored in two innings – but three runs in the first and a four-run rally in the fourth blasted the Woodies past the Potomac Nationals, 7-5, in a Carolina League daytime contest at Historic Grainger Stadium on Wednesday. It was the third win in four games for the Woodies.
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Leody Tavares’ two-run double gave the Wood Ducks (3-4 second half, 38-39 overall) the lead for good. First baseman Andretty Cordero also added two RBIs and scored a run for the Woodies with his 2-for-4 performance at the plate. Second baseman Anderson Tejeda finished 2-for-4 for the Woodies, while outfielder Franklin Rollin scored the winning run on Tavares' RBI.
After a shaky first three innings in which he gave up five earned runs – including three in the third inning – Wood Ducks starting pitcher Steven Bruce settled down over his final four innings to finish with seven strikeouts and no walks in his 93-pitch, seven-innings performance. Bruce improved to 2-4 with the victory, while Kaleb Fontenot had one inning of one-hit relief for his fourth hold of the season and Jairo Beras pitched a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning that included two strikeouts for his second save.
Potomac starting pitcher Joan Baez was chased after only 3.1 innings by the Woodies after he gave up seven hits and two walks while only striking out three. All seven runs surrendered by Baez for earned as he fell to 3-6.
First baseman Aldrem Corredor finished 3-for-4 for the Nationals (2-4, 39-34), which included a three-run home run in the third inning. Outfielders Jack Sundberg and Rhett Wiseman had two hits apiece for Potomac, while Nick Basto and Jackson Reetz had the other two Nationals’ RBIs.
The Wood Ducks and Nationals are scheduled to play the fourth game of their five-game series on Thursday at Grainger Stadium; first pitch will be at 7 p.m. It will be Throwback Thursday at the ballpark in which the Woodies dress in Kinston Indians uniforms. Game tickets are $5 each, along with $1 Budweiser draft beer and select Pepsi products are also $1 for fans.
Fans are also encouraged to visit the team’s Facebook page to request songs from the Kinston Indians era to be played over the public address system. More details are available at the page.
For tickets to Thursday’s game, call the Wood Ducks at 252-686-5154 or visit the team’s website at gowoodducks.com.
