Carolina Wins Friday Night Thriller 5-4 in Fayetteville

Carolina 5 @ Fayetteville 4 (10)

May 13, 2022 | Venue : SEGRA Stadium | First pitch : 7:26 PM | Att : 4,632 | T : 2:46 (1:31 delay)

CAR: 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 5 6 1

FAY: 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 4 6 0

WP: Michele Vassalotti (6 - 0) LP: Jayson Schroeder (0 - 3)

FAYETTEVILLE – Hedbert Perez came through in the clutch with a go-ahead two-run single in the tenth and Michele Vassalotti worked the final two frames while earning his Minor League Baseball leading sixth win of the season as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 5-4 in extra-innings on Friday night at SEGRA Stadium.

The Mudcats (16-15) originally led 1-0 in the second after Jheremy Vargas forced in Arbert Cipion with a bases loaded walk. The Woodpeckers (11-20) answered right back in the third when Joey Loperfido brought in Leosdany Molina with a sacrifice fly. It was then tied at 1-1 from the third and into the sixth before Fayetteville went up 2-1 on a RBI single from Yeuris Ramirez.

With Carolina down 2-1, Jesus Chirinos tied it at 2-2 with his leadoff home run to start the seventh. The Mudcats then took a 3-2 lead in the eighth when Oswal Leones singled and moved around the bases to score on a handful of wild pitches from reliever Kasey Ford. Fayetteville, however, would go on to tie the game with a run against Jakob Brustoski in the eighth locking it up at 3-3 going into the ninth.

The game stayed at 3-3 through the ninth as neither side scored in the final frame, but that all changed in the tenth when Perez came through with his go-ahead single. Reliever Jayson Schroeder allowed the Perez single with two outs in the tenth and took the loss.

Vassalotti (6-0) would then finish it while working out of a first and third jam in the final frame. He allowed one unearned run in the tenth, but finished the game with a strikeout. Vassalotti struck out three and allowed one hit over two innings in the victory.

Schroeder (0-3) was the last of four pitchers in the game for the Woodpeckers. He followed Ford who allowed the one Carolina run in the eighth and lost three wild pitches in his inning. Edinson Batista meanwhile pitched through five innings and struck out 10 in relief of starter Nic Swanson. Swanson was only able to go through two innings in his start as the game saw an early rain delay in the second.

Miguel Segura started for the Mudcats and was only able to pitch the first because of the early rain delay. Trevor Tietz followed and allowed a run and two hits over two innings. Carlos Rodriguez then turned in four innings with just one unearned run allowed on two hits. Rodriguez also struck out seven and walked one.

Carolina moved into a 2-2 series tie with the Friday night victory in extras.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Chirinos (2, 7th inning off Batista, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Perez, CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 RBI

Raabe, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R

Leones, LF (Carolina): 1-for-5, 1 R

Ramirez, Y, 2B-3B (Fayetteville): 1-for-4, 1 RBI

Molina, SS (Fayetteville): 1-for-2, 1 R

Hamilton, RF (Fayetteville): 1-for-4, 1 2B

Palma, 1B (Fayetteville): 0-for-3, 2 R

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

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

Tietz (Carolina): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

Rodriguez (Carolina): 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO

Vassalotti (W, 6-0) (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

Swanson (Fayetteville): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

Batista (Fayetteville): 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Woodpeckers 0) -- Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion walks. Jesus Chirinos singles to left-center field, Arbert Cipion to 3rd. Jheremy Vargas walks, Arbert Cipion scores; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd;wild pitch by Nic Swanson. Jose Sibrian flies out to Joey Loperfido. Alberis Ferrer strikes out swinging.

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

Woodpeckers 3rd (Mudcats 1, Woodpeckers 1) -- Tyler Whitaker pops out to Zack Raabe. Leosdany Molina singles through the hole at second base. Quincy Hamilton doubles to left-center field, Leosdany Molina to 3rd. Joey Loperfido out on a sacrifice fly to Hedbert Perez, Leosdany Molina scores. Miguel Palma strikes out swinging.

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

Woodpeckers 6th (Woodpeckers 2, Mudcats 1) -- Miguel Palma reaches on fielding error by Alberis Ferrer. Miguel Palma advances to 2nd on a balk. Cody Orr strikes out swinging. Yeuris Ramirez singles to right field, Miguel Palma scores. Carlos Rodriguez picks off Yeuris Ramirez at on throw to Jesus Chirinos. Victor Mascai strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 2, Woodpeckers 2) -- Jesus Chirinos hits a home run to right field on a 2-2 pitch. Jheremy Vargas strikes out swinging. Jose Sibrian grounds out, Yeuris Ramirez to Miguel Palma. Alberis Ferrer strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 2) -- Pitcher Change: Kasey Ford replaces Edinson Batista. Defensive switch from 2nd to 3rd for Yeuris Ramirez. Defensive switch from center field to 2nd for Joey Loperfido. Defensive Substitution: Kenedy Corona replaces shortstop Leosdany Molina, batting 2nd, playing center field. Defensive switch from 3rd to shortstop for Tyler Whitaker. Zack Raabe grounds out to Miguel Palma. Oswel Leones singles to right-center field. Jeferson Quero strikes out swinging, Oswel Leones steals 2nd base. Wild pitch by Kasey Ford, Oswel Leones to 3rd. Wild pitch by Kasey Ford, Oswel Leones scores. Hedbert Perez walks. Arbert Cipion pops out to Miguel Palma in foul territory.

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

Woodpeckers 8th (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 3) -- Pitcher Change: Jakob Brustoski replaces Carlos Rodriguez. Quincy Hamilton strikes out swinging. Joey Loperfido strikes out swinging, Jose Sibrian to Jesus Chirinos. Miguel Palma hit by pitch. Wild pitch by Jakob Brustoski, Miguel Palma to 2nd. Cody Orr doubles to left field, Miguel Palma scores. Yeuris Ramirez flies out to Hedbert Perez.

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

Mudcats 10th (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 3) -- Pitcher Change: Jayson Schroeder replaces Kasey Ford. Alberis Ferrer starts inning at 2nd base. Zack Raabe walks. Oswel Leones struck out looking. Jeferson Quero lines out, Jayson Schroeder to Miguel Palma, Alberis Ferrer to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Hedbert Perez singles to right field, Alberis Ferrer scores; Zack Raabe scores. Arbert Cipion lines out to Kenedy Corona.

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

Woodpeckers 10th (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 4) -- Kenedy Corona starts inning at 2nd base. Quincy Hamilton pops out to Jheremy Vargas. Joey Loperfido hit by pitch. Miguel Palma grounds into a force out, fielded by Zack Raabe, Kenedy Corona to 3rd; Joey Loperfido out at 2nd. Wild pitch by Michele Vassalotti, Kenedy Corona scores; Miguel Palma to 2nd. Wild pitch by Michele Vassalotti, Miguel Palma to 3rd. Cody Orr hit by pitch. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Logan Cerny replaces Cody Orr. Yeuris Ramirez strikes out on foul tip.

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