Carolina Blasts Cannon Ballers 13-1

Kannapolis 1 @ Carolina 13

August 08, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:03 PM | Att : 1,617 | T : 2:55

WP: TJ Shook (3 - 1) LP: Jesus Valles (3 - 2)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Felix Valerio matched a franchise record with four doubles, Mike Wilson hit a two-run home run and Zavier Warren, Noah Campbell and Darrien Miller each had three hits as the Carolina offense exploded for 20 hits in a 13-1 series finale victory versus the Cannon Ballers on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium. TJ Shook started and struck out five over five scoreless and earned the win in what was Carolina’s fifth straight victory.

Carolina (51-33) matched a season high with 20 hits in the game with every player in the lineup totaling at least one hit. Valerio led the way with his four hits as he went 4-for-6 with two runs and four doubles. Those four doubles matched a franchise record originally set by Mike Brown on April 16, 1994.

The game was scoreless through the third before the Mudcats broke the scoreless tie with an eight run and eight hit fourth. Kannapolis (26-58) starter Jesus Valles (3-2, 4.93) allowed seven of those eight runs and took the loss.

Valerio started Carolina’s eight run frame with a double before scoring a moments later on a hit to left from Freddy Zamora. Joey Wiemer followed with a flyout, but Warren and Campbell (bunt single) followed with back-to-back hits to load the bases. Miller then drove in two with a hard single up the first base line to put Carolina up 3-0. Andre Nnebe then drove in two more with a single up the third base line and Wilson would add on two more with his home run to right. The home run was Wilson’s second of the year and it gave the Mudcats a 7-0 lead. The rally would eventually end with a sacrifice fly from Zamora, but the damage was done as Carolina led 8-0 after four.

The Mudcats went on to add on to their lead in the sixth when Zamora walked and scored on a force hit into by Campbell. They added one more in the seventh when Valerio doubled and scored on a single from Zamora and finished their big scoring day with three in the eighth while taking a 13-0 lead. Warren and Campbell both started the eighth with hits off reliever Rigo Fernandez and both later scored during what was a three-run inning. Gabe Holt and Valerio both had run scoring hits in the eighth, with Valerio's being his fourth double of the game.

Carolina’s big day at the plate came in support of strong pitching performances from Shook (3-1, 4.50) and relievers Christian Tripp and Brock Begue. Shook totaled five strikeouts, allowed just two hits and pitched around three walks while earning his third victory of the season. He also reached 64 pitches (43 strikes) in what was just his second outing since returning for the injured list on July 30. Tripp followed Shook and pitched through his second straight scoreless outing while also totaling seven strikeouts. Begue finished the game and gave up one run in the ninth.

Carolina won five of six games in the series, with their lone loss coming in the series opener in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Sunday’s 13-1 victory came in both the final game of the six-game series and the final game between Kannapolis and Carolina for the season. The Mudcats finished the season series with 20 wins versus Kannapolis while going 20-4 for the year.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Wilson (2, 4th inning off Valles, 1 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

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

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

Valerio, F, SS (Carolina): 4-for-6, 2 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

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

Zamora, DH (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

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

Tripp (H, 1) (Carolina): 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO

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

Madrigal (Kannapolis): 2.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 0 SO

Messer (Kannapolis): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Felix Valerio doubles to left-center field. Freddy Zamora singles to left-center field, Felix Valerio scores. Joey Wiemer flies out to Caberea Weaver. Zavier Warren singles to shallow center field, Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Noah Campbell bunt singles to shallow left field, Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Zavier Warren to 2nd. Darrien Miller singles through the hole at second base, Freddy Zamora scores; Zavier Warren scores; Noah Campbell to 3rd; Darrien Miller advances to 2nd on throwing error by Anderson Comas. Andre Nnebe singles through the hole at shortstop, Noah Campbell scores; Darrien Miller scores. Andre Nnebe steals 2nd base. Michael Wilson hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch, Andre Nnebe scores. Pitcher Change: Ty Madrigal replaces Jesus Valles. Gabe Holt hit by pitch. Felix Valerio doubles through the hole at shortstop, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Freddy Zamora out on a sacrifice fly to James Beard, Gabe Holt scores. Joey Wiemer walks. Zavier Warren flies out to Anderson Comas.

(8 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Felix Valerio flies out to James Beard. Freddy Zamora walks. Joey Wiemer singles to left-center field, Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Zavier Warren singles to left-center field, Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Noah Campbell grounds into a force out, Jeremiah Burks to Samil Polanco, Freddy Zamora scores; Joey Wiemer to 3rd; Zavier Warren out at 2nd. Darrien Miller walks, Noah Campbell to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Tyson Messer replaces Ty Madrigal. Andre Nnebe pops out to Harvin Mendoza.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 10, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Michael Wilson strikes out swinging. Gabe Holt grounds out, Bryan Ramos to Harvin Mendoza. Felix Valerio doubles through the hole at shortstop. Freddy Zamora singles up the middle, Felix Valerio scores. Joey Wiemer grounds out, Bryan Ramos to Harvin Mendoza.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 13, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Pitcher Change: Rigo Fernandez replaces Tyson Messer. Zavier Warren singles to left-center field. Noah Campbell singles to left-center field, Zavier Warren to 2nd. Darrien Miller singles to center field, Zavier Warren to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Andre Nnebe grounds into a force out, Samil Polanco to Jeremiah Burks, Zavier Warren scores; Noah Campbell to 3rd; Darrien Miller out at 2nd. Michael Wilson strikes out swinging. Gabe Holt singles to right-center field, Noah Campbell scores; Andre Nnebe to 2nd. Felix Valerio doubles to left-center field, Andre Nnebe scores; Gabe Holt to 3rd. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging, Daniel Millwee to Harvin Mendoza.

(3 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 9th (Mudcats 13, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Pitcher Change: Brock Begue replaces Christian Tripp. DJ Gladney strikes out swinging. Caberea Weaver doubles to left field. Anderson Comas flies out to Andre Nnebe. Daniel Millwee singles to center field, Caberea Weaver scores. James Beard walks, Daniel Millwee to 2nd. Samil Polanco walks, Daniel Millwee to 3rd; James Beard to 2nd.

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