Carolina Clubs Two Homers in 9-6 Finale Victory

Kannapolis 6 @ Carolina 9
August 07, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:03 PM | Att : 1,007 | T : 2:35

KAN: 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 6 9 1
CAR: 0 3 0 0 2 4 0 0 x 9 13 0

WP: Junior Montero (6 - 1) LP: Haylen Green (2 - 1) SV: Brannon Jordan (4)

ZEBULON – Jheremy Vargas had a go-ahead single in the sixth, Jace Avina followed with a three-run home run in that same sixth inning, Jeferson Quero went 3-for-3 while extending his hitting streak to nine straight and Jesus Chirinos hit a two-run home run as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 9-6 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium. The victory clinched a 4-2 series win for the Mudcats (18-18, 52-50) versus the visiting Cannon Ballers (20-16, 46-56).

The Cannon Ballers struck first and led 2-0 as Colby Smelley connected on a two-run homer off starter Fernando Olguin in the opening frame. The Mudcats bounced back in the second with consecutive run-scoring hits from Hedbert Perez and Quero, but Wes Kath homered off Olguin to tie the game at 3-3 in the third.

After a scoreless fourth, both sides scored twice in the fifth to make it 5-5. Kannapolis received a RBI single from Smelley and a sac fly from Benyamin Bailey while collecting their two off Olguin in the fifth. Carolina’s two fifth inning runs came on a game-tying, two-run home run to right from Chirinos.

The Chirinos’ home run locked the game at 5-5 and was hit off starter Jared Kelley. In all, Kelly worked through four and 2/3 with five runs on nine hits. He also walked two struck out five for Kannapolis. Olguin went five full innings in his start with five strikeouts, two walks and five runs on eight hits.

The Mudcats then took the lead for good in the sixth after getting a leadoff double from Luis Silva and a go-ahead RBI single from Vargas. The double was Silva’s second of the game and the first of three hits allowed by reliever Haylen Green in the sixth. The sixth continued with a one-out walk for Quero and then Avina’s three-run home run to right. The Avina home run lifted Carolina to a 9-5 lead and was his third in just two games with Carolina. Avina also tripled in the eighth and went 2-for-5 with a run and three RBI.

Green (2-1) ended up with the loss after allowing four runs and three hits over an inning. He originally entered in place of Kelley in the fifth and was able to get an out in that inning before leaving with two outs in the sixth. Bowen Plagge finished the sixth and went on to finish the game for Kannapolis as he pitched the final two and 1/3. Plagge did not allow a run and managed to tag out two runners – Avina and Chirions - during a wild rundown at the end the of the eighth (4-5-2-5-1).

Carolina’s 9-5 lead dipped to 9-6 in the eighth when catcher Victor Torres hit a home run of reliever Leoni De La Cruz, but that lone run would be all De La Cruz would allow in his outing. De La Cruz worked through two full innings with one hit, one run, two walks and three strikeouts. He followed reliever Junior Montero who had pitched a scoreless sixth in place of Olguin. Montero (6-1) earned the win and finished with a walk and a strikeout. Brannon Jordan (S, 4) pitched the ninth and worked around two walks while earning his fourth save.

HOME RUNS:
Kannapolis: Smelley (4, 1st inning off Olguin, 1 on, 1 out); Kath (10, 3rd inning off Olguin, 0 on, 0 out); Torres, V (6, 8th inning off De La Cruz, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina: Chirinos (9, 5th inning off Kelley, 1 on, 1 out); Avina (3, 6th inning off Green, 2 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Avina, CF (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Quero, DH (Carolina): 3-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Silva, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B
Vargas, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-2, 2 R, 1 RBI
Perez, RF (Carolina): 1-for-5, 2 RBI
Kath, 3B (Kannapolis): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Smelley, DH (Kannapolis): 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Veras, W, 1B (Kannapolis): 2-for-5, 0 R, 2 2B
Torres, V, C (Kannapolis): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Montero (W, 6-1) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
De La Cruz (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Jordan (S, 4) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Plagge (Kannapolis): 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:
Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 2, Mudcats 0) -- Andy Atwood walks. Wes Kath strikes out swinging. Colby Smelley hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch, Andy Atwood scores. DJ Gladney strikes out swinging. Wilfred Veras flies out to Eduarqui Fernandez.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Eduarqui Fernandez strikes out swinging. Jadher Areinamo walks. Jose Sibrian singles to right field, Jadher Areinamo to 3rd. Luis Silva pops out to Andy Atwood. Jheremy Vargas walks, Jose Sibrian to 2nd. Hedbert Perez singles to center field, Jadher Areinamo scores; Jose Sibrian scores; Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Jeferson Quero singles to left-center field, Jheremy Vargas scores; Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Jace Avina pops out to Wilfred Veras.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 3rd (Cannon Ballers 3, Mudcats 3) -- Wes Kath hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch. Colby Smelley pops out to Jesus Chirinos. DJ Gladney grounds out, Luis Silva to Jesus Chirinos. Wilfred Veras doubles to right field. Benyamin Bailey singles to shallow center field, Wilfred Veras to 3rd. Victor Torres lines out to Hedbert Perez.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 5th (Cannon Ballers 5, Mudcats 3) -- Wes Kath doubles to right-center field. Colby Smelley singles to right-center field, Wes Kath scores. DJ Gladney lines out to Jace Avina. Wilfred Veras doubles to left field, Colby Smelley to 3rd. Benyamin Bailey out on a sacrifice fly to Hedbert Perez, Colby Smelley scores; Wilfred Veras out at home,Wilfred Veras out at home, Luis Silva to Jose Sibrian.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Cannon Ballers 5, Mudcats 5) -- Jeferson Quero singles to deep shortstop. Jace Avina strikes out swinging. Jesus Chirinos hits a home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch, Jeferson Quero scores. Eduarqui Fernandez grounds out, Wes Kath to Wilfred Veras. Jadher Areinamo singles to right field. Pitcher Change: Haylen Green replaces Jared Kelley. Wild pitch by Haylen Green, Jadher Areinamo to 2nd. Jose Sibrian flies out to Logan Glass.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 5) -- Luis Silva doubles to right field. Jheremy Vargas singles to right-center field, Luis Silva scores. Wild pitch by Haylen Green, Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Jeferson Quero walks. Jace Avina hits a home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch, Jheremy Vargas scores; Jeferson Quero scores. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Wes Kath to Wilfred Veras. Pitcher Change: Bowen Plagge replaces Haylen Green. Eduarqui Fernandez hit by pitch. Jadher Areinamo grounds into a force out, Andy Atwood to Wilber Sanchez, Eduarqui Fernandez out at 2nd.
(4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 8th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 6) -- Victor Torres hits a home run down the left-field line on a 3-1 pitch. Logan Glass struck out looking. Wilber Sanchez flies out to Hedbert Perez. Andy Atwood grounds out to Jesus Chirinos.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)