Sacco’s Big Swing Walks Off RiverDogs in Final Game of Road Trip

By: RiverDogs Media

Fayetteville, NC – Tommy Sacco’s first professional home run allowed the Fayetteville Woodpeckers to celebrate a 4-3 walk-off win over the Charleston RiverDogs at Segra Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The ninth hitter in the order fouled off one full count pitch from Jack Snyder before lining the second over the right field wall to turn a one run deficit into a victory.

Snyder retired the first two batters in the final frame, before Ryan Wrobleski hooked a double down the left field line to extend the game and put the tying run at second base. Snyder fell behind Sacco 3-1 before working it full and allowing the decisive swing.
Fayetteville (18-36, 49-70) was able to take the first lead of the day in the second inning against opener Nick Bitsko. With one out, Rolando Espinosa hit a hard groundball that caromed off of third baseman Willy Vasquez and into left field for a double. Espinosa stole third quickly which allowed him to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Leosdany Molina. Bitsko worked 2.0 innings, allowing one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout.

The RiverDogs (34-20, 80-40) struggled mightily to put bat on ball in the early stages of the game. The first 12 batters of the game failed to put the ball in play, nine of them being retired via strikeout. That changed in the fourth inning. The frame began with Miguel Ullola walking Willy Vasquez, who quickly stole second base. On a wild pitch to Kenny Piper, Vasquez advanced to third. The first ball that was put in play by the RiverDogs tied the game. Daiwer Castellanos laid down a perfect bunt toward third for an RBI single as Vasquez crossed the plate to tie the game.

In the fifth, Carson Williams lined a breaking ball to left field for a single with one out. He stole second base to move into scoring position, but that became inconsequential when Vasquez roped a line drive over the right field wall for his seventh home run of the season. That swing put the RiverDogs on top 3-1.

A frustrating inning for Over Galue allowed Fayetteville to move closer in the bottom of the fifth. The right-hander walked the first two batters of the inning before rebounding with back-to-back strikeouts. Galue went to a full count on Tyler Whitaker and thought he struck him out on a full count pitch, but it was called ball four to load the bases. He also went full on Ryan Clifford and was disappointed once more as another close pitch was ruled outside of the zone, forcing in a run. With the bases still loaded, Zach Dezenzo ambushed the first pitch after a mound visit and hit a deep fly ball that was hauled in by Castellanos on the warning track to end the inning with Charleston in front 3-2.

Vasquez extended his hitting streak to 12 games with the home run. Williams was the only Charleston player to collect multiple hits, ending the day 2-4. Sacco was the only Fayetteville hitter with multiple hits also going 2-4.

The RiverDogs have an off day Monday before beginning their final homestand of the regular season against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Tuesday night. RHP Cole Wilcox (0-0, 0.00) will make his first appearance at The Joe this season as the starting pitcher for the RiverDogs. It is the final Twisted Tea Dog Day of the season with $2 hot dogs and beer. There will also be a dog show to select the 2023 Dog Day “Ambassa-Dog”. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm.

Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com.

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