Woodies rally from seven runs down ... but lose for 11th straight game

By Dominic Cotroneo / Down East Wood Ducks

BUIES CREEK -- Despite an improbable come-from-behind effort, the Down East Wood Ducks (9-22 second half, 44-57 overall) fell to the Buies Creek Astros (20-11, 57-43) by a final of 10-7 Sunday afternoon.

The loss marked the 11th straight defeat for the Wood Ducks continuing the longest losing streak in franchise history.

Through three innings, the Woodies trailed 7-0, but managed to tie the game in the seventh thanks to LeDarious Clark’s huge game. The outfielder connected on a game-tying, three-run homer in the seventh, his second homer of the game. Clark’s first blast in the fourth got the Wood Ducks on the board after a tough third inning.

Buies Creek plated seven runs on five hits in the frame, highlighted by a Chuckie Robinson grand slam to swell the lead to seven. DEWD starter Sal Mendez still battled to complete five innings and only allowed one hit outside of the third inning.

Clark’s first homer sparked a stretch of four straight innings producing a run for the Woodies. Alex Kowalczyk scored in the fifth on a wild pitch and he added an RBI single in the sixth, along with Anderson Tejeda.

A rally formed in the seventh after a pair of infield hits for Brendon Davis and Eric Jenkins. Clark blasted his homer on the first pitch he saw with two outs to tie it up. Meanwhile, David Lebron worked two perfect innings of relief with a strikeout to keep the Woodies in it.

The comeback was not meant to be as Robinson hit another homer, a three-run shot to put the Astros ahead for good in the eighth.

The series finale comes Monday at noon as the Wood Ducks will play their final game ever in Buies Creek. Right-hander Steven Bruce will take the start for the Wood Ducks from Jim Perry Stadium.