Carolina Loses 4-2 to Fayetteville, Falling Short in Sweep Attempt

ZEBULON, N.C. - The Micro Brews fell a game shy of a series sweep as Fayetteville escaped with a 4-2 series finale victory versus Carolina on Thursday night at Five County Stadium. Fayetteville's starter Enoli Paredes and reliever Cristian Javier combined to total 17 strikeouts in the series finale defeat of Carolina.

Carolina (19-14) scored first while bringing across an unearned run in the first to take an early 1-0 lead in the game. Fayetteville (16-18) eventually answered with three runs in the third and one more in the fourth while going up 4-1. The Micro Brews later scraped across one more run in the eighth, but saw their final five batters, beginning in the eighth, all go down via strikeout as the Woodpeckers left Zebulon with a 4-2 victory.
Joantgel Segovia started the Carolina first with a single and later scored on a failed double play that included a throwing error by second baseman Miguelangel Sierra. Segovia's run put the Micro Brews up 1-0, that lone first inning run was all that Carolina could muster against Paredes (2-1, 2.16) and his victorious effort.
Paredes pitched through the fifth and totaled nine strikeouts while leading the Woodpeckers to a five-game losing streak snapping victory. He gave up a hit in the first and two in the second, but ended up allowing just four hits overall while picking up his second win of the year. Paredes also walked two and allowed just the one unearned run while reaching 84 pitches in the victory.
Carolina's starter Matt Smith, meanwhile, held the Woodpeckers scoreless over the first two innings before eventually allowing three runs and three hits in the third. 
Sierra, who's throwing error in the first allowed a Carolina run to score, started the three run third by hitting a solo home run to left. Bryan De La Cruz and Jacob Meyers then followed with back-to-back singles and both ended up coming across to score on a sac fly from Jacob Meyers and a RBI double from Colton Shaver.
Smith (1-3, 4.38) hit his pitch limit in the third and left the game with Fayetteville leading 3-1. In all, Smith walked two, struck out two and allowed three runs on five hits over two and 2/3 innings. 
Christian Taugner, in his first relief appearance of the season, followed and went on to allow just one run over the next four and 1/3 innings pitched. Taugner gave up a run scoring hit to Seth Beer in the fourth, but allowed just the lone Fayetteville run while keeping the Mudcats in the game. Taugner scattered six hits and walked one as well while reaching 80 pitches (50 strikes) in his relief effort. J.T. Hintzen later came in for the final two innings and ended up allowing one hit and totaling two strikeouts while facing just seven batters over his scoreless outing.
Carolina was down 4-1 when Javier (S, 1) took over for Paredes in the sixth out of the Fayetteville bullpen. After two scoreless frames against Javier the Mudcats finally broke through with a run and one hit in the eighth to cut the lead to 4-2. 
Ryan Aguilar walked, moved to second on a double from Tristen Lutz and then scored when Payton Henry hit into a force at second. The ensuing throw on what should have been a double play to end the inning allowed a run as Carolina pulled within two. 
Javier eventually worked through the rest of the eighth without allowing another run and finished his outing with eight strikeouts against two walks while earning his first save of the season.
Despite matching a season high for strikeouts with 17 in the game, the Carolina offense did have ample opportunities to score as they combined to go 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. They also left seven men on base in their series finale loss to Fayetteville.
UP NEXT: After winning their series versus Fayetteville 2-1, the Mudcats will next take on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans for the first time at home this season. Carolina is currently 2-1 versus Myrtle Beach this season, having recently won a series in Myrtle Beach from April 23 through April 25. Friday's game will feature postgame fireworks presented by House Autry and Family Campout Night featuring an appearance by actor Tom Guiry who played "Smalls" in "The Sandlot." Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream in live HD video via paid subscription on MiLB.tv.
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