‘Cats Come Out Swinging in 8-4 Finale Victory

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault's Post-Game Interview

ZEBULON – Joey Wiemer and Ernesto Martinez both hit towering home runs, Gabe Holt and Darrien Miller both had late two-run doubles, and Evan Reifert earned his first win after totaling five strikeouts over two and 1/3 as the Mudcats defeated the Woodpeckers 8-4 on Sunday at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (5-1) originally took an early 1-0 lead after getting Wiemer’s homer (both his first hit and first home run as a pro) in the second, but Fayetteville (1-5) bounced back with two home runs in the third to go up 2-1. Martinez tied the game with his second big fly of the season in the fourth, but another Fayetteville homer in the sixth broke the tie to put the Woodpeckers up 3-2.

Fayetteville went on to score two unearned runs in the seventh to take a 5-2 lead, but Holt answered with a two-run double in the last of the seventh to cut the lead to 5-4. Martinez then struck again in the eighth with a run scoring single to tie the game and Miller went on to break the tie with a two-run, bases loaded, double to right. In all, the Mudcats scored twice in the seventh and four times in the eighth while going up 8-5.

Jhoan Cruz started for Carolina and struck out seven for the second consecutive time, but did not earn a decision. Cruz gave up both early home runs and left during the fifth with the game tied 2-2. Jackson Gillis followed and went on to total four strikeouts over an inning and 2/3. Miguel Guerrero allowed the two unearned runs in the seventh before giving way to Reifert (1-0, 0.00) who stranded three inherited runners and finished the game.

Carolina's pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts, bringing their Low-A East and Minor League Baseball leading total to 91 combined strikeouts on the season.

Chase Daniels, Matthew Barefoot and Yeuris Ramirez each homered in the Fayetteville loss. Starting pitcher Misael Tamarez pitched through the fourth and allowed home runs to Wiemer and Martinez. Meanwhile, Opening Night starter Cesar Gomez took the loss after allowing six earned runs on seven hits over two and 1/3 innings in relief.

The Mudcats won five of the six games in the series and will next play the undefeated Down East Wood Ducks on Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium. The Wood Ducks have started the 2021 season at 6-0.

HOME RUNS:
Fayetteville HR: Daniels (1, 3rd inning off Cruz, Jh, 0 on, 1 out); Barefoot (2, 3rd inning off Cruz, Jh, 0 on, 2 out); Ramirez, Y (1, 6th inning off Gillis, 0 on, 1 out).
Carolina HR: Wiemer (1, 2nd inning off Tamarez, 0 on, 0 out); Martinez, E (2, 4th inning off Tamarez, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Wiemer, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI
McGee, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-2, 2 R
Miller, C (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Daniels, LF (Fayetteville): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Barefoot, CF (Fayetteville): 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Ramirez, Y, 1B (Fayetteville): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Cruz, Jh (Carolina): 4.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
Gillis (Carolina): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Reifert (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
Tamarez (Fayetteville): 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO
Garcia, F (Fayetteville): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Holcomb (Fayetteville): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Woodpeckers 0) -- Joey Wiemer hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch. Ernesto Martinez flies out to Zach Daniels. Ashton McGee walks. Darrien Miller pops into a force out, Joe Perez to Yeuris Ramirez, Ashton McGee out at 2nd. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 3rd (Woodpeckers 2, Mudcats 1) -- Joe Perez singles to left-center field. Joe Perez caught stealing 2nd base, Darrien Miller to Gabe Holt to Ernesto Martinez. Zach Daniels hits a home run to center field on a 3-2 pitch. J.C. Correa strikes out swinging. Matthew Barefoot hits a home run to left field on a 2-0 pitch. Shay Whitcomb singles to deep shortstop. Justin Dirden grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ernesto Martinez.
(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Woodpeckers 2, Mudcats 2) -- Joey Wiemer pops out to Yeuris Ramirez. Ernesto Martinez hits a home run to right-center field on a 0-0 pitch. Ashton McGee strikes out swinging. Darrien Miller walks. Wild pitch by Misael Tamarez, Darrien Miller to 2nd. Arbert Cipion flies out to Zach Daniels.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 6th (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 2) -- Justin Dirden strikes out swinging. Yeuris Ramirez hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch. Juan Paulino strikes out swinging. Ronaldo Urdaneta reaches on throwing error by Ashton McGee. Ronaldo Urdaneta steals 2nd base. Ronaldo Urdaneta steals 3rd base. Joe Perez walks. Zach Daniels struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Woodpeckers 7th (Woodpeckers 5, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Miguel Guerrero replaces Jackson Gillis. J.C. Correa reaches on fielding error by Ernesto Martinez. Matthew Barefoot walks, J.C. Correa to 2nd. Shay Whitcomb singles to left-center field, J.C. Correa scores; Shay Whitcomb to 2nd; fielding error by Micah Bello. Justin Dirden struck out looking. Wild pitch by Miguel Guerrero, Matthew Barefoot scores; Shay Whitcomb to 3rd. Yeuris Ramirez strikes out swinging. Juan Paulino walks. Juan Paulino steals 2nd base. Ronaldo Urdaneta walks. Pitcher Change: Evan Reifert replaces Miguel Guerrero. Joe Perez grounds into a force out, fielded by Ashton McGee, Juan Paulino out at 3rd.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 2 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Woodpeckers 5, Mudcats 4) -- Ashton McGee singles to right field. Darrien Miller strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion singles through the hole at second base, Ashton McGee to 3rd. Arbert Cipion steals 2nd base. Gabe Holt doubles to left-center field, Ashton McGee scores; Arbert Cipion scores. Felix Valerio grounds out, Joe Perez to Yeuris Ramirez. Micah Bello pops out to Ronaldo Urdaneta.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 8, Woodpeckers 5) -- Noah Campbell doubles to center field. Joey Wiemer singles to left-center field, Noah Campbell to 3rd. Ernesto Martinez singles to right field, Noah Campbell scores; Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Ashton McGee walks, Joey Wiemer to 3rd; Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Darrien Miller doubles to right field, Joey Wiemer scores; Ernesto Martinez scores; Ashton McGee to 3rd. Arbert Cipion out on a sacrifice fly to Matthew Barefoot, Ashton McGee scores; Darrien Miller to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Kevin Holcomb replaces Cesar Gomez. Gabe Holt walks. Felix Valerio pops out to Yeuris Ramirez in foul territory. Micah Bello pops out to J.C. Correa.
(4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)