From the FredNats:
Jonathan Thomas provided the necessary late game heroics to power Fredericksburg to a 6-4 win in the series finale. Fayetteville took the early lead against Pablo Aldonis in his 2023 debut. Sandro Gaston opened the bottom of the second with a double, before moving to third on a wild pitch. Then, a balk by Aldonis allowed Gaston to cross the plate with the first run of the game.
The FredNats responded in the top of the fourth, beginning with a one-out double by Murphy Stehly. He then alertly tagged up on a pop foul to the first base side, before scoring on a single by Brenner Cox which tied the game at 1-1.
In the top of the sixth now, Cox drew a walk with two men gone before stealing second base, then Armando Cruz attacked the first pitch to plate Cox and push the Nationals ahead 2-1. Fredericksburg kept the pressure up in the seventh inning. Roismar Quintana singled into right field with one out, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sammy Infante then laced a single to center to drive in Quintana, but Infante was cut down trying to stretch his base hit into a double.
Trailing by two now, Fayetteville answered back in the home half of the seventh. Zach Cole Jr. opened the inning with a leadoff home run, then Jackson Loftin singled. However, Roismar Quintana turned an unassisted double play at first base, to pick up Bryan Sanchez. But with two outs, Sanchez lost command of the strike zone and walked four straight Woodpeckers to force in the tying run. Then in the eighth, an errant pickoff attempt by Miguel Gomez allowed Gaston to score, which put Fayetteville up 4-3.
In the top of the ninth, with the FredNats looking a sweep in the face, Max Romero Jr. got hit to lead off the inning, then Sammy Infante worked a walk with one out. Later, with two outs now, Jonathan Thomas smoked a 1-1 pitch on a line and over the left field wall for a go-ahead, three-run home run which gave Fredericksburg a 6-4 lead.
Christian Ciuffetelli came on to lock down the save, and allowed just one base runner as he got the job done for Fredericksburg in a 6-4 victory. Miguel Gomez got the win out of the bullpen, with Ian Foggo blowing the save and taking the loss.
Fredericksburg is back home on Tuesday, for a six game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds.
