Ballers Ride Late Offense to Swipe Sunday’s Game and Series against Mudcats

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Using a total of seven runs in the final third of Sunday’s series finale, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (59-54) outlasted the Carolina Mudcats (62-49) to earn their fourth win of the week at Atrium Health Ballpark.

RHP Mark McLaughlin struggled in his one inning of work on the mound, allowing three runs on two hits, walking three Mudcats in his lone inning of work. LHP Anderson Comas entered in relief and tossed his longest outing of the season. The lefty struck out three in five innings, walking none and allowing six hits.

Carolina got on the board first in the top of the first inning with a Tayden Hall RBI single, a bases-loaded walk of Jace Avina, and a Blayberg Diaz sacrifice fly. The quick three runs set the tone early, with the Mudcats ahead, 1-0.

Chris Lanzilli smacked an RBI single in the bottom of the first to inch closer to the visitor’s lead. The base knock cut Carolina’s lead to, 3-1.

The Mudcats extended their lead in the top of the third and in the top of the sixth with a Luis Castillo solo home run and a Reidy Mercado RBI single, jumping out to a, 5-1, advantage over the Ballers in the first six innings of the game.

The Ballers did not give up so easily, breaking through against the Mudcats bullpen to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. After Ryan Galanie cranked an RBI triple to center field, Galanie and Wilber Sanchez executed a double steal, with Galanie crossing the plate. One batter later, Rikuu Nishida came in clutch in his Ballers debut with a two-RBI single to knot the ballgame at, 5-5.

The eighth inning brought a pair of lead changes, first with a Gregory Barrios sacrifice fly to put the visiting Mudcats on top, 6-5, after the top of the eighth.

Kannapolis broke through in the bottom half of the eighth inning to add a pair of RBI singles against RHP Chase Costello (L, 7-3). Sanchez and Mario Camilletti each put base hits into the outfield, scoring two runs on the first and one on the second at, 8-6, in favor of the home side. Carolina put runners on in the ninth against LHP Logan Lyle (S, 1), but the southpaw held on for his first save of 2023.

The Cannon Ballers get a well-deserved day off on Monday before departing on their penultimate road trip of the 2023 season to Myrtle Beach. Kannapolis faces the Pelicans, Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, on the road August 22-27.

Fans can purchase tickets for any remaining home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark.