Fayetteville Woodpeckers' 2023 home opener at Segra Stadium: Here's what you need to know
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers open their fourth season and fifth year in Segra Stadium as the Houston Astros' Minor League Baseball affiliate on Friday with a 7:05 p.m. game against the Carolina Mudcats.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re heading to the ballpark for any of the Woodpeckers’ 81 home games this season.
Parking
Specifically for Woodpeckers home games, paid event parking in downtown city lots will begin 2 hours before first pitch, which is 7:05 p.m. on weekdays, 5:05 p.m. on Saturdays and 2:05 p.m. on Sundays at a cost of $5 per space.
On-street parking follows marked-sign protocol with 2-hour and 3-hour parking spaces in effect through 9 p.m. on weekdays. On Saturdays and Sundays, street parking is free.
Private parking lots in the downtown area charge their own rates.
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Thirsty Thursdays are back
Drink deals are always popular at Segra, and every Thursday night home game is dedicated to them with 16-ounce domestic beers and 9-ounce wines for $4, and 16-ounce Pepsi products for $2. Or you could always go with the beer bat, a 25-ounce hollowed slugger you can bring back for refills.
Two-dollar Tuesdays offer select concessions for a couple of bucks, and on Waggin’ Wednesdays, fans are invited to bring their well-behaved and socialized dogs to the ballpark. Dogs must have the following up-to-date vaccinations to enter: Rabies; Distemper; Parvo; Bordatella. And if you make a concession purchase, you’ll get a free pup cup for your best bud. The Pecks have also partnered with local rescue groups who will host adoption events during Wednesday games.
Season-long dog ID cards will be available for Waggin’ Wednesday regulars that pre-register by submitting their vet records and completed waivers to FayettevilleAstros@astros.com at least 24 hours in advance of the game.
All 12 Friday night games will feature fireworks after the ballgame and every Saturday game features a giveaway.
After Sunday games, kids can run the bases and everyone is invited to play catch in the outfield. And, as always, whenever the Woodpeckers score six runs in a game, grab a voucher for a free taco from El Cazador on your way out of the gates.
New leadership
The Woodpeckers announced in March that Michelle Skinner would be the team’s general manager, becoming one of two women who are GMs in the Carolina League.
Also new to Fayetteville is Woodpeckers Manager Ricky Rivera, who spent the last few seasons managing in the Florida Complex League with the Astros organization.
Free stuff
Promotional giveaways also start with opening night, and this season’s highlights include a Jeremy Pena World Series replica ring (Sunday, April 9), Bunker socks (Saturday, April 15), bucket hats (Saturday, April 29), tumblers (May 27), and cooler backpacks (Sunday, June 18). And, of course, there will be plenty of free T-shirts (April 11, April 25, May 9, June 13), baseball caps (April 8, June 16) and jerseys (April 28, June 17).
Season structure
The Woodpeckers will play 162 games in the Class-A Carolina League, where they share the Central Division with the Down East (Kinston) Wood Ducks, Carolina (Zebulon) Mudcats and Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
The schedule is split into 81 games at home and 81 on the road. Teams square off in six-game series played on consecutive days, Tuesday-Sunday. Mondays are off days. The Woodpeckers typically host two series every month until the regular season ends Sept. 10.
Roster info
Outfielder Ryan Clifford is ranked the No. 6 prospect in the Houston Astros organization by mlb.com. A Raleigh native, Clifford was an 11th-round draft pick in 2022 after his graduation from high school in Apex. Already committed to play for Vanderbilt, Clifford slipped low in the draft but the Astrso put together a signing bonus of more than $1 million to seal the deal.
Six-foot-5 right-handed pitcher Andrew Taylor was the Astros' 80th overall pick in the 2022 draft after three seasons at Central Michigan, where he was named Mid-American Pitcher of the year as a freshman.
Michael Knorr is another 6-5 righty whom Houston selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Coastal Carolina, where he led the pitching staff as a senior with a 3.39 ERA, fewest hits allowed (60) and opposing batting average (.228).
Jose Fleury is another pitcher to watch for the Woodpeckers, known for his control and 15.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the Dominican Summer League.
Ticket prices
Single-game ticket prices range from $11-$25, with berm seating for ages 3-12 at $9.
Four-Topps (table and stools) cost $100 for a group of four or $25 each.
Season tickets are available for full-season membership (66 games), half-season (20 games) and 12-game flex memberships with prices varying depending on seat location.
Group rate discounts apply to groups of 20 or more and require a 25% nonrefundable deposit.
Blanton's Picnic Zone tickets, which include a buffet, are $40 per person for 20 to 200 guests. Field boxes for up to 12 guests cost $480 per game, and luxury suites for up to 20 guests cost $900 per game. The Pecks will also feature a Dugout Box this season, where up to eight guests can share a couch with a field view beside the dugout for $480 per game.
To purchase tickets or learn more, call the front office at 910-339-1989 or go to milb.com/fayetteville/tickets.
Sports editor Monica Holland can be reached at mholland@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What to know about Fayetteville Woodpeckers' 2023 home opener at Segra
