Brown and Sibrian Homer as Mudcats Take Opener 7-5

Carolina 7 @ Delmarva 5
August 09, 2022 | Venue : Arthur W. Perdue Stadium | First pitch : 7:07 PM | Att : 1,435 | T : 3:04 (:20 delay)

CAR: 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 7 7 0
DEL: 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 3

WP: Michele Vassalotti (9 - 2) LP: Edgar Portes (0 - 5) SV: Karlos Morales (5)

SALISBURY – Eric Brown Jr. hit his first professional home run, Jose Sibrian went 2-for-3 with a home run in the ninth and relievers Michele Vassalotti, Miguel Guerrero and Karlos Morales combined on four scoreless innings as the Carolina Mudcats overcame an early deficit to defeat the Delmarva Shorebirds 7-5 on Tuesday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The Shorebirds (13-24, 34-68) received a two-run homer from Isaac De Leon and led 3-0 in the first before the Mudcats (19-18, 53-50) began to chip away into the lead. They first pulled within one of the lead in the third with a RBI single from Brown and a first and third double steal to cut it to 3-2. A two-run single from Creed Willems in the fourth pushed Delmarva into a 5-2 lead, but Carolina rallied again to get within one at 5-4 after Brown connected on a two-run home run to left. Carolina then scored twice on a missed pop up with two outs in the seventh to a 6-5 lead. Sibrian later capped the series opening victory with a solo home run in the ninth.

Jeferson Figueroa started for the Mudcats and was on the mound for all five Delmarva runs as he gave up five runs over five innings. Figueroa did not earn a decision and finished his outing with seven strikeouts against two walks. He also scattered just three hits.

Vassalotti (9-2), Guerrero and Morales all followed Figueroa with Vassalotti working around three walks while pitching a scoreless sixth to earn the victory. Guerrero (H, 2) turned in two scoreless frames with two hits, a walk and two strikeouts. Morales (S, 5) pitched the ninth and earned the save after totaling two strikeouts against one walk.

Reliever Edgar Portes allowed Sibrian’s home run in the ninth and ended up with the loss. Portes (0-5) also allowed the two unearned runs in thee seventh that gave the Mudcats their first lead in the game. Deivy Cruz started and pitched into the fifth while giving up four runs and five hits, including Brown’s home run in the fifth.

The victory was Carolina’s third straight and put them up 1-0 in their current with Delmarva. The series will continue on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, MD.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina: Brown Jr. (1, 5th inning off Cruz, D, 1 on, 2 out); Sibrian (2, 9th inning off Portes, 0 on, 0 out).

Delmarva: De Leon (8, 1st inning off Figueroa, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Brown Jr., SS (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Sibrian, C (Carolina): 2-for-3, 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Moore, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Perez, DH (Carolina): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
De Leon, 3B (Delmarva): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Willems, C (Delmarva): 1-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Valdez, L, CF (Delmarva): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Prado, RF (Delmarva): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Vassalotti (W, 9-2) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO
Guerrero (H, 2) (Carolina): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Morales (S, 5) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Padilla (Delmarva): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Portes (L, 0-5)(BS, 1) (Delmarva): 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

SCORING:
Shorebirds 1st (Shorebirds 3, Mudcats 0) -- Luis Valdez strikes out swinging, Luis Valdez to 1st;wild pitch by Jeferson Figueroa. Luis Valdez steals 2nd base. Noelberth Romero walks. Luis Valdez steals 3rd base, Noelberth Romero steals 2nd base. Reed Trimble grounds out to Jesus Chirinos, Luis Valdez scores; Noelberth Romero to 3rd. Mishael Deson strikes out swinging. Isaac De Leon hits a home run to center field on a 1-0 pitch, Noelberth Romero scores. Frederick Bencosme strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Shorebirds 3, Mudcats 2) -- Jadher Areinamo grounds out, Frederick Bencosme to Erison Placencia. Jose Sibrian walks. Robert Moore doubles to left field, Jose Sibrian to 3rd. Eric Brown Jr. singles to right field, Jose Sibrian scores; Robert Moore to 3rd. Robert Moore steals home, Eric Brown Jr. steals 2nd base, Eric Brown Jr. out at 3rd on the throw, Luis Valdez to Isaac De Leon. Jace Avina strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Shorebirds 4th (Shorebirds 5, Mudcats 2) -- Mishael Deson strikes out swinging. Isaac De Leon strikes out swinging. Frederick Bencosme walks. Elio Prado doubles to right field, Frederick Bencosme to 3rd. Creed Willems singles to left-center field, Frederick Bencosme scores; Elio Prado scores; Creed Willems out at 2nd on the throw, Eduarqui Fernandez to Jose Sibrian to Robert Moore.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Shorebirds 5, Mudcats 4) -- Jadher Areinamo singles to center field. Jose Sibrian strikes out swinging. Robert Moore strikes out swinging, Jadher Areinamo to 2nd;wild pitch by Deivy Cruz. Eric Brown Jr. hits a home run to left field on a 3-1 pitch, Jadher Areinamo scores. Pitcher Change: Miguel Padilla replaces Deivy Cruz. Jace Avina strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Shorebirds 5) -- Pitcher Change: Edgar Portes replaces Miguel Padilla. Jadher Areinamo flies out to Luis Valdez. Jose Sibrian singles to shallow right field. Wild pitch by Edgar Portes, Jose Sibrian to 2nd. Robert Moore strikes out swinging. Eric Brown Jr. walks. Jace Avina reaches on fielding error by Frederick Bencosme, Jose Sibrian scores; Eric Brown Jr. scores; Jace Avina to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Noelberth Romero to Erison Placencia.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Mudcats 7, Shorebirds 5) -- Jose Sibrian hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch. Robert Moore strikes out on foul tip. Eric Brown Jr. flies out to Elio Prado. Jace Avina struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)