FAYETTEVILLE, NC: Very few teams have dominated a single team the way the Woodpeckers have the Augusta GreenJackets this year, taking a 4-3 win Thursday night for their 8th victory in nine tries against the Jackets this month.
Both offenses came out ready to score early, not a surprise given what the Woodpeckers have done to every Augusta starter already this week.
It was Fayetteville that took the early lead, getting a one-out triple from Jancel Villarroel that allowed him to score on a grounder from Waner Luciano.
Augusta answered back immediately, as Douglas Glod crushed a solo homer to the opposite field to tie the game. The tie would not last long, however, as Fayetteville continue to attack Owen Hackman for one run in each of innings three through five.
RBI singles from Luciano and Cam Fisher, as well as a solo homer from Luciano, handed Hackman four runs on ten total hits, the most given up by a single Augusta pitcher in any game this year.
Woodpecker starter Luis Rodriguez settled in well after the Glod homer, navigating hard contact to make it through five innings and snare his third win of the year.
The only additional blemish to his ledge came in the 5th, when Joe Olsavsky was hit by a pitch, stole his way to third, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Owen Carey.
The sac fly made it a one-run game at the time, but Luciano launched his homer in the next at bats for Fayetteville to double the lead.
While Militello was dispersed early, Woodpecker starter Dylan Howard settled in after the first, retiring his next twelve hitters in a career-long outing, as he secured his first professional win by pitching consistently to week contact.
Both bullpens were solid in the back end, as Justin Long and Juan Sanchez did not allow a hit in three innings behind Hackman to give the offense a fighting chance. The only man called in relief for the Woodpeckers was Francisco Frias, who walked the tightrope well.
Frias stranded two men in the scoring position in the 6th, and another in the 7th, before finally conceding a run in the 8th. Colby Jones reached on an error, and promptly stole third for his 3rd stolen base of the day, 5th of the week, and 42nd of the season.
A Nick Montgomery sac fly brought the Jackets back within a run, but Augusta would not manage another hit, coming up just short of a comeback victory.
The GreenJackets are now 1-5 since the standings reset last Friday, and have lost all three games at Segra Stadium this week.
The Woodpeckers have already guaranteed themselves a series split at minimum, and will send Raimy Rodriguez to the mound opposite Rayven Antonio to attempt to secure their fourth straight win.
