Binelas, Nnebe & Martinez Power Mudcats in 9-2 Win

Carolina 9 @ Fayetteville 2

September 15, 2021 | Venue : SEGRA Stadium | First pitch : 6:35 PM | Att : 2,081 | T : 3:36

CAR: 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 2 9 9 1

FAY: 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0

WP: Junior Montero (1 - 0) LP: Aaron Brown (1 - 3)

FAYETTEVILLE – Alex Binelas and Ernesto Martinez both homered for the second consecutive night, Andre Nnebe hit a solo home run in the second and Noah Campbell went 2-for-3 with two runs, three walks and two RBI as the Mudcats won their second straight 9-2 versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Wednesday night at SEGRA Stadium.

The Mudcats (67-49) staved off playoff elimination pulled within 3.0 games of Salem in the race for the second playoff spot with their victory over Fayetteville (52-64). Carolina’s elimination number is still at two with four regular season games remaining. Carolina also pulled within 2.0 games of Down East for the lead in the Low-A East Central Division standings.

Binelas, like he did the night before, once again started things with a first inning home run as his two-run shot in the first gave the Mudcats the early 2-0 lead. Binelas has now homered in consecutive games and has totaled four home runs over his last four games. Nnebe then extended the lead to 3-0 with a solo home run in the second. For Nnebe, the home run was his fifth of the season.

Fayetteville starter Aaron Brown allowed both early homers and ended up with the loss. Brown (1-3, 5.95) pitched through three and 2/3 with three runs, three hits, three walks and six strikeouts.

Jeferson Figueroa started for the Mudcats and worked into the fifth while allowing just one hit and two runs over four and 1/3 innings. He began his outing with six straight outs before allowing a leadoff homer to Victor Mascai in the third. He then hit two straight batters and allowed a run in the fourth before committing a throwing error (failed pickoff) and leaving with one out in the fifth. Figueroa fell two outs shy of the win and finished with three walks and six strikeouts.

Carolina led 3-2 when Figueroa was pulled and after Junior Montero entered in relief. Montero managed to escape the fifth in place of Figueroa and stranded two inherited runners on base. In all, Montero (1-0, 2.38) pitched through two and 2/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts.

The Carolina lead increased to 6-2 in the sixth after the Mudcats rallied for three runs on two hits. Reliever Elian Rodriguez walked in a run with the bases loaded to start that rally, while a two-run single from Noah Campbell capped it.

Campbell then made it 7-2 after doubling to left and scoring on a RBI double from Eduardo Garcia in the eighth.

Martinez then finished the Carolina scoring with a two-run home run off reliever Kasey Ford in the ninth. Like Binelas, Martinez has also homered in back-to-back games. Martinez has also totaled 11 home runs this season.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Binelas (8, 1st inning off Brown, A, 1 on, 1 out); Nnebe (5, 2nd inning off Brown, A, 0 on, 1 out); Martinez, E (11, 9th inning off Ford, 1 on, 2 out).

Fayetteville HR : Mascai (7, 3rd inning off Figueroa, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Binelas, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Campbell, LF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Nnebe, RF (Carolina): 1-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 1-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Mascai, 1B (Fayetteville): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Wagner, 2B (Fayetteville): 1-for-3, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Sandle, RF (Fayetteville): 1-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Figueroa (Carolina): 4.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO

Montero (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

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

DeLabio (Fayetteville): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Hiraldo (Fayetteville): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Woodpeckers 0) -- Noah Campbell walks. Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging. Alex Binelas hits a home run to right-center field on a 0-1 pitch, Noah Campbell scores. Tyler Black flies out to Joey Loperfido. Micah Bello walks. Darrien Miller strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 0) -- Ernesto Martinez pops out to Chad Stevens. Andre Nnebe hits a home run to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch. Zack Raabe strikes out swinging. Noah Campbell walks. Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging.

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

Woodpeckers 3rd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 1) -- Victor Mascai hits a home run to right-center field on a 1-1 pitch. Nathan Perry grounds out, Zack Raabe to Ernesto Martinez. Chad Stevens struck out looking. Kobe Kato strikes out swinging.

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

Woodpeckers 4th (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 2) -- Joey Loperfido hit by pitch. Joey Loperfido steals 2nd base. Michael Sandle hit by pitch. Quincy Hamilton flies out to Andre Nnebe, Joey Loperfido to 3rd. Michael Sandle steals 2nd base. Nerio Rodriguez grounds out, Jeferson Figueroa to Ernesto Martinez, Joey Loperfido scores; Michael Sandle to 3rd. Will Wagner walks. Victor Mascai struck out looking.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 2) -- Pitcher Change: Elian Rodriguez replaces Jacob DeLabio. Micah Bello strikes out swinging. Darrien Miller walks. Ernesto Martinez singles to left-center field, Darrien Miller to 3rd. Andre Nnebe walks, Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Zack Raabe walks, Darrien Miller scores; Ernesto Martinez to 3rd; Andre Nnebe to 2nd. Noah Campbell singles to left field, Ernesto Martinez scores; Andre Nnebe scores; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Wild pitch by Elian Rodriguez, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia struck out looking. Alex Binelas walks. Pitcher Change: Carlos Hiraldo replaces Elian Rodriguez. Tyler Black struck out looking.

(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 7, Woodpeckers 2) -- Andre Nnebe struck out looking. Zack Raabe grounds out, Chad Stevens to Victor Mascai. Noah Campbell doubles to left field. Eduardo Garcia doubles to left field, Noah Campbell scores. Alex Binelas flies out to Joey Loperfido.

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

Mudcats 9th (Mudcats 9, Woodpeckers 2) -- Pitcher Change: Kasey Ford replaces Carlos Hiraldo. Tyler Black walks. Micah Bello grounds into double play, Will Wagner to Victor Mascai, Tyler Black out at 2nd, Micah Bello out at 1st. Darrien Miller walks. Ernesto Martinez hits a home run to center field on a 0-1 pitch, Darrien Miller scores. Andre Nnebe walks. Zack Raabe walks, Andre Nnebe to 2nd. Noah Campbell flies out to Michael Sandle.

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