Down East Shutout by Fayetteville

Offense manages only four hits

Fayetteville, N.C. –  After scoring 15 runs on Sunday, the Down East Wood Ducks took a complete 180° turn as they were shutout by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 3-0, Tuesday night.  The Wood Ducks were shut out for the third time this season and have lost three of-their-last five games. 

Down East (18-12) trailed early as John Matthews (L, 1-1) surrendered a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the first and Fayetteville (13-17) didn’t look back.  The Woodpeckers added two more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 lead and that is where the scoring stopped. 

There was not much offense as both teams combined for eight hits.  The Wood Ducks went 4-for-29 and struck out 13 times. The first four batters in the Woodies lineup went a combined 4-for-13, while batters five through nine went a combined 0-for-16. 

In his first start of the season, Matthews took the loss, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work.  Nick Lockhart pitched three innings out of the bullpen and allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts.  Josh Smith followed with three scoreless innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts. 

The series continues tomorrow with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.  Down East will start RH Wyatt Sparks (0-0, 5.60) and Fayetteville will counter with LH Julio Robaina (0-0, 0.00).