Fayetteville, NC - Nehomar Ochoa Jr. blasted a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Fayetteville Woodpeckers once again stunned the Charleston RiverDogs at Segra Stadium on Sunday evening. Ochoa’s round-tripper capped a four-run inning as Fayetteville earned a thrilling 7-6 victory. The RiverDogs scored one run in the top of the ninth, but Noah Myers struck out with the tying run at third to end the game.
In a scene eerily reminiscent of Saturday night, the RiverDogs (4-5) entered the eighth inning with a 5-3 advantage. Adam Boucher walked the first two batters he faced before a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. An RBI groundout from Luis Encarnacion pulled Fayetteville (6-3) to within one. Boucher issued another walk to Juan Santander and Ochoa made him pay dearly. The right fielder hammered a three-run home run that gave the Woodpeckers the lead for good.
Each team opened their scoring with a solo home run. For the RiverDogs, Tre’ Morgan connected with two outs in the first inning to hand them a 1-0 head start. Charleston scored a first inning run in each of the last four games in Fayetteville. With two outs in the bottom half of the second, Yamal Encarnacion lined an 0-2 pitch from Owen Wild over the right field wall to even the score.
The RiverDogs raced all over the bases to regain the lead in the fourth inning. Angel Mateo and Myers worked back-to-back walks to start the inning. Following a fly out from Odalys Peguero, Carlos Colmenarez bounced into a fielder’s choice that left men on the corners. Reliever Kelly Austin emerged from the bullpen to take over for Sandy Mejia. On his first pitch, Colmenarez stole second base. With the throw to second by Juan Santander, Mateo broke for the plate and scored when the catcher dropped the return throw. Narciso Polanco added to the lead with a line drive single to right.
The Woodpeckers worked back to even over the next few innings. Santander connected on his first home run of the season in the fourth to pull Fayetteville within 3-2. In the next inning, Alejandro Nunez and Alberto Hernandez hit consecutive doubles to tie the game before Wild departed.
The back-and-forth affair see-sawed back in the RiverDogs favor in the sixth. Myers worked a walk, stole second base and advanced to third in a throwing error. He then scored on Peguero’s single to left field to make it 4-3. Morgan added to the lead with an RBI single in the seventh.
Morgan went 2-4 with a pair of RBI to lead the RiverDogs four-hit attack. Fayetteville collected seven hits, six of them going for extra-bases.
Boucher took the loss, surrendering four runs in his lone inning of work. Wild did not factor in the decision, throwing 4.1 innings with three runs allowed. All five hits against the starter went for extra-bases. T.J. Nichols bounced back from a tough outing on Tuesday with 2.2 scoreless innings.
The RiverDogs return to Charleston to host the Columbia Fireflies for a six-game series Tuesday through Sunday. the opening game of the series will feature a rare morning start time of 11:05 a.m. Tickets are sold out for the Education Day contest. LHP Drew Dowd (0-0, 2.25) will make his first start of the season against Columbia RHP Blake Wolters (0-0, 10.80).
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Fayetteville 7, Charleston 6
April 14, 2024
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 6-4-0
Fayetteville (R-H-E): 7-7-3
Win: Chirinos (1-0)
Loss: Boucher (2-1)
Save: Mercedes (1)
HR: Charleston: Tre' Morgan (1, 1st inning, 0 on base)
HR: Fayetteville: Yamal Encarnacion (1, 2nd inning, 0 on base), Juan Santander (1, 4th inning, 0 on base), Nehomar Ochoa Jr. (1, 8th inning, 2 on base)
