Adames and Mudcats Slug Out 13-2 Victory

Kannapolis 2 @ Carolina 13

May 29, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:02 PM | Att : 2,477 | T : 2:33

KAN: 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0

CAR: 0 1 2 5 1 4 0 0 x 13 11 2

WP: Michele Vassalotti (7 - 0) LP: Jared Kelley (0 - 2)

ZEBULON – Rehabbing Major League Willy Adames hit a go-ahead home run in the third, Jackson Chourio went 4-for-5 with two RBI, Luis Silva and Jesus Chirinos both hit three-run doubles and Arbert Cipion went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and three runs as the first place Carolina Mudcats defeated the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 13-2 in the finale of a six-game series on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (26-19) were originally down 2-0 after the first as the Cannon Ballers (18-27) opened the game with a couple of runs and one hit against starter Fernando Olguin in Sunday’s series finale. That early lead went on to evaporate quickly as Adames lifted the Mudcats to a 3-2 lead in the third with his opposite field two-run home run. The homer came in his second of three scheduled at-bats as Adames struck out looking, homered and walked in his lone rehab appearance with the Mudcats.

Carolina led 3-2 after the third before piling on with a five run fourth, a run in the fifth and four more in the sixth while scoring 13 unanswered runs the rest of the way. Carolina’s five-run fifth featured a bases clearing three-run double from Silva and a two-run single from Chourio. The four-run sixth included Cipion’s solo blast and a Jesus Chirinos three-run double.

While the Mudcats hitters exploded four 13 runs and 11 hits, including four doubles and two home runs, Olguin and the Carolina bullpen would go on to stifle the Cannon Ballers while combining to allow three total hits. Kannapolis was additionally held without a run from the second through the ninth as Carolina won its fifth game of the series.

Olguin gave up the two early runs, but pitched into the fifth before hitting his pitch limit and leaving the game after four and 2/3. He ended up with four walks, but struck out five and allowed just two runs (one earned) on two hits. Vassalotti followed and retire four straight from the end of the fifth through the sixth while earning his Carolina League leading seventh win of the season. Junior Montero then pitched around a hit and struck out one while working a scoreless sixth. Trevor Tietz struck out two and walked one in the eighth and Christian Tripp battled through two hard-hit comebackers to finish the game while working a scoreless ninth.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Adames (1, 3rd inning off Kelley, 1 on, 1 out); Cipion (4, 6th inning off Edwards, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Adames, DH (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 4-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI

Silva, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI

Cipion, RF (Carolina): 1-for-3, 3 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Montgomery, SS (Kannapolis): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Kath, 3B (Kannapolis): 1-for-1, 1 R

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Olguin (Carolina): 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO

Vassalotti (W, 7-0) (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Montero (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Tietz (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Tripp (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

Kelley (L, 0-2) (Kannapolis): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Green (Kannapolis): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Plagge (Kannapolis): 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 2, Mudcats 0) -- Wilber Sanchez pops out to Jesus Chirinos in foul territory. Wes Kath walks. Colson Montgomery doubles to right field, Wes Kath scores; Colson Montgomery advances to 3rd on throwing error by Jheremy Vargas. DJ Gladney out on a sacrifice fly to Jackson Chourio, Colson Montgomery scores. Colby Smelley pops out to Jheremy Vargas.

(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Cannon Ballers 2, Mudcats 1) -- Jackson Chourio singles to deep shortstop. Jose Sibrian hit by pitch, Jackson Chourio to 2nd. Zack Raabe grounds out, Wilber Sanchez to DJ Gladney, Jackson Chourio to 3rd; Jose Sibrian to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Wilber Sanchez to DJ Gladney, Jackson Chourio scores; Jose Sibrian to 3rd. Jheremy Vargas grounds out, Wes Kath to DJ Gladney.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 3, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Luis Silva flies out to Misael Gonzalez. Arbert Cipion walks. Willy Adames hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch, Arbert Cipion scores. Oswel Leones strikes out swinging. Pitcher Change: Homer Cruz replaces Jared Kelley. Jackson Chourio doubles to left-center field. Wild pitch by Homer Cruz, Jackson Chourio to 3rd. Jose Sibrian strikes out swinging, Victor Torres to DJ Gladney.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Zack Raabe hit by pitch. Jesus Chirinos singles to left-center field, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas walks, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Luis Silva doubles to left field, Zack Raabe scores; Jesus Chirinos scores; Jheremy Vargas scores. Arbert Cipion walks. Pitcher Change: Haylen Green replaces Homer Cruz. Willy Adames walks, Luis Silva to 3rd; Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Oswel Leones struck out looking. Jackson Chourio singles to center field, Luis Silva scores; Arbert Cipion scores; Willy Adames to 2nd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Hendry Mendez replaces Willy Adames. Jose Sibrian grounds into double play, Wes Kath to Wilber Sanchez to DJ Gladney, Jackson Chourio out at 2nd, Jose Sibrian out at 1st.

(5 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Zack Raabe singles to right field. Wild pitch by Haylen Green, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Passed ball by Victor Torres, Zack Raabe to 3rd. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging. Jheremy Vargas flies out to Logan Glass, Zack Raabe scores. Luis Silva grounds out, Colson Montgomery to DJ Gladney.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 13, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Pitcher Change: Christian Edwards replaces Haylen Green. Arbert Cipion hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch. Hendry Mendez doubles through the hole at shortstop. Oswel Leones walks. Jackson Chourio strikes out swinging. Jose Sibrian walks, Hendry Mendez to 3rd; Oswel Leones to 2nd. Zack Raabe strikes out swinging. Jesus Chirinos doubles to left-center field, Hendry Mendez scores; Oswel Leones scores; Jose Sibrian scores. Pitcher Change: Bowen Plagge replaces Christian Edwards. Jheremy Vargas pops out to DJ Gladney.

(4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)