Belzer Brilliant as Mudcats Win Fourth Straight

Carolina 9 @ Kannapolis 2

July 16, 2021 | Venue : Atrium Health Ballpark | First pitch : 7:00 PM | Att : 2,818 | T : 3:06

WP: Nick Belzer (6 - 2) LP: Andrew Dalquist (1 - 6)

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault Post-Game Interview

KANNAPOLIS – Joey Wiemer crushed a three-run home run in the third, Ernesto Martinez hit a solo shot in the fifth and Nick Belzer pitched through seven solid innings with just one unearned run allowed as the Mudcats won their fourth straight 9-2 versus the Cannon Ballers on Friday night in Kannapolis.

Carolina (38-25) moved to a season high 13 games above .500 with Friday’s series clinching victory over the Cannon Ballers (19-44). The first place Mudcats also remained three games ahead of Down East in the Low-A East Central standings and pulled within a half game of Delmarva for the second-best record in Low-A East.

Belzer (6-2, 3.45) earned his third straight win after holding the Cannon Ballers to just one unearned run over seven innings pitched. It was his second straight seven inning effort and his third quality start since joining the Mudcats on June 1. Belzer also struck out three (with all three coming against Chase Krogman) and reached a career high 90 pitches (60 strikes). He also scattered five hits, with three of the five coming in the first inning. His only run came in the first as well, but was unearned as it scored on a passed ball.

After trading runs in the first, the Mudcats broke an early 1-1 tie and began running away with the game after scoring four runs in the third. Three of those four were driven in on Wiemer’s mammoth home run to left. Carolina then added two more in the fourth with one coming on wild pitch and another a RBI single from Felix Valerio. Martinez then homered in the fifth to put the Mudcats up 8-1 and Alex Hall used his third triple of the season to drive in a run in the ninth to make it 9-1.

Wiemer went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer and a run scored in the game. His homer was his sixth of the season and his first since June 25. Martinez went 1-for-5 with his lone hit being his solo home run to left in the fifth. That homer was his seventh of the year and his first since June 29. Noah Campbell went 1-for-4 while running his current hit streak to six straight.

Kannapolis eventually scored again in the ninth, but ended up leaving two men on base in the final frame. Joey Matulovich followed Belzer and worked through two innings with one run, three walks and two strikeouts in relief.

Andrew Dalquist started for Kannapolis and ended up with the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits over three and 2/3 innings. Dalquist (1-6, 6.26) also walked two and struck out three.

The series continues on Saturday with the fifth game of the six games series beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Kannapolis. The Mudcats lead the series 4-0.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Wiemer (6, 3rd inning off Dalquist, 2 on, 1 out); Martinez, E (7, 5th inning off Evey, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

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

Holt, DH (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

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

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

Rodriguez, J, SS (Kannapolis): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Ramos, 2B (Kannapolis): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Mieses, RF (Kannapolis): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Belzer (W, 6-2) (Carolina): 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Matulovich (Carolina): 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

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

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

Mikel (Kannapolis): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

*SCORING PLAYS: *
Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Gabe Holt singles to right-center field. Freddy Zamora flies out to Caberea Weaver. Ashton McGee walks, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Felix Valerio reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Brandon Bossard, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Noah Campbell grounds out to Harvin Mendoza, Gabe Holt scores; Ashton McGee to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Joey Wiemer grounds out, Jose Rodriguez to Harvin Mendoza.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 1st (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Jose Rodriguez singles to left-center field. Samil Polanco pops out to Felix Valerio. Jose Rodriguez out at 2nd, Alex Hall to Felix Valerio. Bryan Ramos singles up the middle. Luis Mieses singles to right field, Bryan Ramos to 3rd. Passed ball by Alex Hall, Bryan Ramos scores; Luis Mieses to 2nd. Harvin Mendoza grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ernesto Martinez.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 5, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Freddy Zamora walks. Ashton McGee singles to center field, Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Felix Valerio struck out looking. Wild pitch by Andrew Dalquist, Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Noah Campbell reaches on fielding error by Harvin Mendoza, Freddy Zamora scores; Ashton McGee to 3rd. Joey Wiemer hits a home run to left field on a 0-1 pitch, Ashton McGee scores; Noah Campbell scores. Ernesto Martinez flies out to Chase Krogman. Alex Hall struck out looking.
(4 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 7, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Andre Nnebe singles to deep shortstop. Gabe Holt singles to left-center field, Andre Nnebe to 3rd. Wild pitch by Andrew Dalquist, Andre Nnebe scores; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Freddy Zamora grounds out to Harvin Mendoza, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Ashton McGee strikes out swinging. Pitcher Change: Marcus Evey replaces Andrew Dalquist. Felix Valerio singles up the middle, Gabe Holt scores. Noah Campbell singles through the hole at second base, Felix Valerio to 3rd. Felix Valerio out at home, Victor Torres to Marcus Evey.
(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Joey Wiemer flies out to Caberea Weaver. Ernesto Martinez hits a home run to left field on a 0-0 pitch. Alex Hall walks. Wild pitch by Marcus Evey, Alex Hall to 2nd. Andre Nnebe walks. Gabe Holt flies out to Chase Krogman. Freddy Zamora grounds into a force out, fielded by Brandon Bossard, Alex Hall out at 3rd.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Pitcher Change: Jordan Mikel replaces Garvin Alston. Noah Campbell walks. Joey Wiemer flies out to Chase Krogman. Ernesto Martinez flies out to Chase Krogman. Alex Hall triples to right field, Noah Campbell scores. Andre Nnebe struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 9th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Luis Mieses singles to left-center field. Harvin Mendoza lines out to Andre Nnebe. Caberea Weaver walks, Luis Mieses to 2nd. Chase Krogman singles to right-center field, Luis Mieses scores; Caberea Weaver to 3rd. Brandon Bossard strikes out swinging.

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