FREDERICK, MD - Ryan Aguilar hit a solo home run in the fourth and Alec Bettinger turned in a quality start, but the Mudcats came up short in a 2-1 loss to the Keys on Friday night in Frederick. The loss was Carolina's sixth straight and eliminated the Mudcats from
FREDERICK, MD - Ryan Aguilar hit a solo home run in the fourth and Alec Bettinger turned in a quality start, but the Mudcats came up short in a 2-1 loss to the Keys on Friday night in Frederick. The loss was Carolina's sixth straight and eliminated the Mudcats from playoff contention.
Bettinger started for Carolina (59-69, 25-33) and allowed just two runs over six innings while taking the tough luck loss. He allowed a solo home run to Frederick's Randolph Gassaway in the first and a two-out RBI single to Wilson Garcia in the third. In all, Bettinger scattered five hits, walked two and struck out five in the loss.
Carolina's lone of the game came in the fourth when Aguilar connected on his seventh home run of the season. The solo shot cut the lead to 2-1 and came off starter Frederick's Alex Wells. Aguilar finished the game going 1-for-2 wit a home run, two walks and a RBI.
Wells (7-7, 3.47) allowed just the one Carolina run and earned the win for the Keys (61-67, 26-33) in Friday's series opener. He finished with eight strikeouts, two walks and five hits. He also stranded five baserunners, including three in the sixth as he struck out Dillon Thomas with the bases loaded to end the frame.
Relievers Ryan O'Rourke, Steven Klimek, Tyler Erwin and Matt Trowbridge all followed Wells. O'Rourke (1.0 IP, 1 SO), Klimek (1.0 IP, 1 H) and Erwin (0.1 IP, 2 BB, 1 SO) all earned holds and Trowbridge (S, 2)(0.2 IP, 1 SO) picked up the save.
Reliever Rodrigo Benoit followed Bettinger for Carolina and finished the game while pitching through two scoreless frames. Benoit also struck out two and gave up two hits.
NOTES: Cooper Hummel went 2-for-4 and raised his Carolina League leading on-base percentage to .387 for the season... Demi Orimoloye went 1-for-4 and has hit safely in four straight games... Ryan Aguilar has now hit safely in five straight games and has hit two home runs over his last three games.
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