Carolina Falls 7-4 in Series Opener at Delmarva

DELMARVA - Ashton McGee went 2-for-4 with a RBI and newly added infielder Daniel Castillo finished 1-for-4 with a two-run single, but the Mudcats came up short in a 7-4 series opening loss to the Shorebirds on Tuesday night at Arthur Perdue Stadium in Delmarva.

The Shorebirds (10-3) struck first with a couple of runs off starter Abner Uribe in the second, but the Mudcats (8-5) erased that early 2-0 deficit with a three run fourth.

The fourth inning rally began with a game tying RBI single from newly added infielder Daniel Castillo and continued with a run-scoring groundout by Arbert Cipion. Carolina led 3-2 before the fifth, but that lead was short-lived as the Shorebirds came back with two runs in the fifth against Caden Lemons while going up 4-3.

Lemons (L, 0-2, 4.66) ended up with the loss after allowing a couple of runs on four hits over two and 2/3 innings. He originally came in for the third and managed to work two scoreless frames before finding trouble in the fifth. He started the fifth with a walk and went on to allow three straight singles, including game-tying single to Mason Janvrin, while losing the lead. He then recorded back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded, before walking in a run and leaving the game.

Reliever Peyton Long followed and went on to get the Mudcats out of the inning while escaping a bases loaded jam. Overall, Long struck out one, stranded three inherited runs and kept Delmarva scoreless over an inning and 1/3.

Jackson Gillis followed and would end up allowing three runs (one earned) over an inning and 1/3. Miguel Guerrero later finished the game and saw two runners he inherited from Gillis score on a two-out error (missed pop up) by catcher Alex Hall.

The Mudcats did pull within one of the lead with a run in the eighth, but reliever Ignacio Feliz held them off while earning his first hold of the season. Feliz followed fellow reliever Adam Stauffer and struck out six while allowing one run on one hit over three innings. Stauffer (W, 2-0, 1.42) earned the win despite allowing a run of his own and two inherited runners to score in the game. Shelton Perkins pitched the ninth and earned his second save while holding the Mudcats scoreless and totaling two strikeouts.

The Shorebirds took a 1-0 lead in the six-game series after winning the first ever meeting between the two teams on Tuesday night. The series will continue on Wednesday with right-hander TJ Shook (2-0, 1.80) starting for the Mudcats.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
McGee, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Hall, A, C (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R
Castillo, SS (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Cespedes, C, DH (Delmarva): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Harris, RF (Delmarva): 0-for-2, 2 R, 1 RBI
Hernaiz, 2B (Delmarva): 2-for-4, 1 R
Westburg, 3B (Delmarva): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI
Haskin, CF (Delmarva): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Lemons (L, 0-2) (Carolina): 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Long (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Guerrero (Carolina): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Stauffer (W, 2-0) (Delmarva): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Feliz, I (H, 1) (Delmarva): 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
Perkins (S, 2) (Delmarva): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:
Shorebirds 2nd (Shorebirds 2, Mudcats 0) -- Jordan Westburg struck out looking. J.D. Mundy walks. Jordan Cannon walks, J.D. Mundy to 2nd. Cristopher Cespedes singles up the middle, J.D. Mundy scores; Jordan Cannon to 3rd. Dylan Harris grounds into a force out, Gabe Holt to Daniel Castillo, Jordan Cannon scores; Cristopher Cespedes out at 2nd. Darell Hernaiz singles up the middle, Dylan Harris out at 3rd on the throw, Joe Gray Jr. to Ashton McGee.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 3, Shorebirds 2) -- Ernesto Martinez walks. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging. Ashton McGee singles to right field, Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Adam Stauffer replaces Brandon Young. Alex Hall singles through the hole at shortstop, Ernesto Martinez to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Daniel Castillo singles to right field, Ernesto Martinez scores; Ashton McGee scores; Alex Hall to 3rd. Daniel Castillo steals 2nd base. Arbert Cipion grounds out, Adam Stauffer to J.D. Mundy, Alex Hall scores; Daniel Castillo to 3rd. Gabe Holt grounds out, Gunnar Henderson to J.D. Mundy.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Shorebirds 5th (Shorebirds 4, Mudcats 3) -- Dylan Harris walks. Darell Hernaiz singles to center field, Dylan Harris to 3rd. Hudson Haskin singles to center field, Dylan Harris scores; Darell Hernaiz to 2nd. Mason Janvrin singles to left field, Darell Hernaiz to 3rd; Hudson Haskin to 2nd. Gunnar Henderson strikes out swinging. Jordan Westburg strikes out swinging. J.D. Mundy walks, Darell Hernaiz scores; Hudson Haskin to 3rd; Mason Janvrin to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Peyton Long replaces Caden Lemons. Jordan Cannon pops out to Daniel Castillo.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Shorebirds 7th (Shorebirds 5, Mudcats 3) -- Pitcher Change: Jackson Gillis replaces Peyton Long. Hudson Haskin singles to left field. Hudson Haskin steals 2nd base. Mason Janvrin pops out to Gabe Holt. Gunnar Henderson lines out to Daniel Castillo. Jordan Westburg doubles to left-center field, Hudson Haskin scores. J.D. Mundy strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Shorebirds 5, Mudcats 4) -- Joe Gray Jr. walks. Joe Gray Jr. steals 2nd base. Ernesto Martinez walks, Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd;wild pitch by Ignacio Feliz. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging. Ashton McGee reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Darell Hernaiz, Joe Gray Jr. scores; Ashton McGee to 2nd; throwing error by Darell Hernaiz. Alex Hall pops out to Gunnar Henderson. Daniel Castillo strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Shorebirds 8th (Shorebirds 7, Mudcats 4) -- Jordan Cannon grounds out, Jackson Gillis to Ernesto Martinez. Cristopher Cespedes doubles to left-center field. Passed ball by Alex Hall, Cristopher Cespedes to 3rd. Dylan Harris walks. Pitcher Change: Miguel Guerrero replaces Jackson Gillis. Darell Hernaiz flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Hudson Haskin walks, Dylan Harris to 2nd. Mason Janvrin reaches on fielding error by Alex Hall, Cristopher Cespedes scores; Dylan Harris scores; Hudson Haskin to 3rd. Mason Janvrin steals 2nd base. Gunnar Henderson grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ernesto Martinez.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)