Carolina Falls 8-5 in Series Opener with Wood Ducks

Down East 8 @ Carolina 5

May 17, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:00 PM | Att : 1,559 | T : 2:45

DE: 0 0 2 0 3 0 2 0 1 8 9 0

CAR: 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 10 5

WP: Damian Mendoza (2 - 1) LP: Edwin Jimenez (0 - 1)

ZEBULON – Hendry Mendez, Jeferson Quero and Alberis Ferrer each had two hits and each drove in a run, Oswal Leones went 1-for-2 with a double and three walks out of the leadoff spot, and reliever Israel Puello struck out six over four innings, but the Down East Wood Ducks outlasted the Carolina Mudcats 8-5 in Tuesday’s series opener at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (17-17) originally led 1-0 in the second on Ferrer’s RBI single, but the Wood Ducks (15-19) came right back with two runs in the third to take the lead at 2-1. That same third inning also saw run scoring hits for Quero and Jesus Chrinos as Carolina led again at 3-2.

That 3-2 lead would be Carolina’s last as they fell behind in the fifth when Down East rallied for three runs to go out in front 5-3. They then added two more in the seventh on a home run from Marcus Smith while going up 7-3. The Mudcats were down four when they loaded the bases twice and scored twice in the eighth to cut the deficit to 7-5, but Down East added one more run in the ninth while taking an 8-5 lead and eventually defeating the Mudcats in the series opener.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in the game for the Wood Ducks. It was his towering home run to center in the seventh that would put things out of reach for the Mudcats. The home run was his second of the season and was hit off Puello after he took over for starter Edwin Jimenez in the sixth. Puello worked through four innings with three runs (two earned) allowed on three hits. Puello also struck out six and did not walk a batter. Jimenez (0-1), however, ended up with his first loss of the season after allowed five runs on six hits over five innings pitched. Jimenez also walked three and struck out four in the loss.

Gavin Collyer started for the Wood Ducks and pitched through the fourth with three runs, six hits, three walks and five strikeouts. Reliever Damian Mendoza took over in the fifth and went on to turn in two scoreless frames out of the Down East bullpen while earning the victory. Mendoza (2-1) walked two and struck out three in the victory.

Carolina left 12 men on base and went 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position in the loss. They also fell to 7-11 when scoring first in a game, and fell to 7-3 (3-1 at home) against the Wood Ducks this season. Carolina’s five errors also matched a season high and ran their current streak of consecutive games with at least one error to nine straight games.

HOME RUNS:

Down East: Smith, M (2, 7th inning off Puello, 1 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Mendez, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 3B

Quero, C (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 RBI

Ferrer, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI

Leones, DH (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Smith, M, RF (Down East): 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Osuna, A, LF (Down East): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Rodriguez, J, DH (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Paniagua, 3B (Down East): 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Puello (Carolina): 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

Mendoza, D (W, 2-1) (Down East): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Leath (Down East): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Wood Ducks 0) -- Hendry Mendez triples to left-center field. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Cameron Cauley to Abimelec Ortiz. Jesus Chirinos reaches on a fielder's choice out, Junior Paniagua to Efrenyer Narvaez, Hendry Mendez out at 3rd. Jheremy Vargas walks, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Alberis Ferrer singles up the middle, Jesus Chirinos scores; Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Zack Raabe flies out to Marcus Smith.

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

Wood Ducks 3rd (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 1) -- Efrenyer Narvaez singles to right field. Abimelec Ortiz walks, Efrenyer Narvaez to 2nd. Junior Paniagua hits a sacrifice bunt, throwing error by Alberis Ferrer, Efrenyer Narvaez to 3rd; Abimelec Ortiz to 2nd; Junior Paniagua to 1st. Alejandro Osuna doubles to right field, Efrenyer Narvaez scores; Abimelec Ortiz scores; Junior Paniagua to 3rd. Marcus Smith struck out looking. Cameron Cauley walks. Maximo Acosta flies out to Jackson Chourio. Jose Rodriguez grounds into a force out, fielded by Jheremy Vargas, Cameron Cauley out at 2nd.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 3, Wood Ducks 2) -- Oswel Leones doubles to left-center field. Jackson Chourio walks. Hedbert Perez singles to left-center field, Oswel Leones to 3rd; Jackson Chourio to 2nd. Hendry Mendez struck out looking. Jeferson Quero singles to left field, Oswel Leones scores; Jackson Chourio to 3rd; Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos singles to center field, Jackson Chourio scores; Hedbert Perez out at home on the throw, Daniel Mateo to Efrenyer Narvaez, Jeferson Quero to 3rd; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas flies out to Daniel Mateo.

(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 5th (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 3) -- Junior Paniagua doubles to left field. Alejandro Osuna flies out to Hedbert Perez. Marcus Smith singles to right-center field, Junior Paniagua to 3rd. Cameron Cauley grounds out, Zack Raabe to Jesus Chirinos, Junior Paniagua scores; Marcus Smith to 2nd. Maximo Acosta walks. Jose Rodriguez doubles to left-center field, Marcus Smith scores; Maximo Acosta scores; Jose Rodriguez advances to 3rd on throwing error by Jheremy Vargas. Daniel Mateo grounds out, Jheremy Vargas to Jesus Chirinos.

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

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 7, Mudcats 3) -- Alejandro Osuna singles to right field. Alejandro Osuna steals 2nd base. Marcus Smith hits a home run to right-center field on a 2-2 pitch, Alejandro Osuna scores. Cameron Cauley strikes out swinging. Maximo Acosta flies out to Hendry Mendez. Jose Rodriguez struck out looking.

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

Mudcats 8th (Wood Ducks 7, Mudcats 5) -- Pitcher Change: Leury Tejada replaces Jackson Leath. Jheremy Vargas singles to shallow center field. Alberis Ferrer singles to right field, Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Zack Raabe hit by pitch, Jheremy Vargas to 3rd; Alberis Ferrer to 2nd. Oswel Leones walks, Jheremy Vargas scores; Alberis Ferrer to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Jackson Chourio out on a sacrifice fly to Marcus Smith, Alberis Ferrer scores. Hedbert Perez flies out to Alejandro Osuna. Wild pitch by Leury Tejada, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Oswel Leones to 2nd. Hendry Mendez walks. Jeferson Quero flies out to Marcus Smith.

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

Wood Ducks 9th (Wood Ducks 8, Mudcats 5) -- Junior Paniagua reaches on throwing error by Alberis Ferrer, Junior Paniagua to 2nd. Alejandro Osuna out on a sacrifice bunt, Alberis Ferrer to Jesus Chirinos, Junior Paniagua to 3rd. Marcus Smith singles to center field, Junior Paniagua scores. Throwing error by Israel Puello on the pickoff attempt. Cameron Cauley struck out looking. Maximo Acosta struck out looking.

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