Augusta 9 @ Carolina 7

May 08, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:01 PM | Att : 1,362 | T : 2:43 (:14 delay)

AUG: 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 9 10 1

CAR: 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 5 0 7 10 3

WP: Juan Mateo (2 - 0) LP: Brandon Ramey (0 - 1)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Victor Estevez

ZEBULON – The Carolina Mudcats rallied for five runs in the eighth on a home run from Jackson Chourio, a two-run single by Hedbert Perez, and a game-tying single from Zack Raabe, but Augusta’s Stephen Paolini hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth as the GreenJackets took Sunday’s series finale 9-7 at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.

Chourio went 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, two runs and two RBI for the Mudcats (14-13) in Sunday’s series finale. Augusta’s Kadon Morton also went 4-for-4 and Paolini went 1-for-5 with the go-ahead homer in the ninth as the GreenJackets (15-12) left Zebulon with a 3-3 series split.

The Mudcats were originally down 3-0 after the first before falling further back at 7-2 going into their half of the eighth. Carolina the rallied back with five runs starting with Chourio’s home run and continuing with back-to-back singles by Eduardo Garcia and Jesus Chirinos. A walk by Hendry Mendez then loaded the bases and knocked reliever Issrael De La Cruz out of the ballgame. Juan Mateo would then be brought in to pitch for the GreenJackets and was immediately greeted to the game by a two-run single from Perez. That hit cut the lead down to 7-5 moments before a RBI groundout from Alberis Ferrer made it 7-6. Raabe then delivered a run-scoring single with two outs to tie the game at 7-7.

Mateo (2-0) eventually finished the eighth and then worked around a walk of Chourio in the ninth while holding Carolina scoreless and finishing the game. Mateo earned the win, but allowed three inherited runners to score and a run of his own while suffering his first blown save of the season.

Brandon Ramey pitched the ninth for Carolina and took the loss after allowing Paolini’s go-ahead home run and walking in a run later in the final inning. Ramey (0-1) faced eight batters in the ninth and finished with two runs allowed on two hits.

Brannon Jordan started for the Mudcats and allowed three runs (two earned) and three hits in the first before tossing a scoreless second, third and fourth. He returned for the fifth, but left after facing two batters and allowing two hits. Trevor Tiez followed and went on to allow both inherited runners to score as the GreenJackets took a 5-1 lead. Tietz stayed in for the next frame and worked a scoreless sixth before giving way to Junior Montero and his scoreless seventh inning. Jacob Brustoski came out for the eighth and allowed a couple of runs on two hits as the GreenJackets worked their way to their 7-2 lead.

De La Cruz, meanwhile, was the second of three pitchers in the series tying victory for Augusta as he followed starter Luis Vargas and appeared before Mateo in the game. Vargas allowed a run-scoring single to Hendry Mendez in the fourth and a RBI double to Chourio in the fifth.

The loss dropped the Mudcats into a series tie with the GreenJackets at 3-3. Carolina will next play in Fayetteville on Tuesday night.

HOME RUNS:

Augusta: Paolini (1, 9th inning off Ramey, 0 on, 1 out).

Carolina: Chourio (1, 8th inning off De La Cruz, I, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R

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

Mendez, DH (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI

Morton, CF (Augusta): 4-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI

Quintero, 2B (Augusta): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B

Conley, SS (Augusta): 1-for-4, 2 R

Paolini, RF (Augusta): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Jordan (Carolina): 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

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

Vargas, Lu (Augusta): 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

Mateo (W, 2-0)(BS, 1) (Augusta): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

SCORING:

GreenJackets 1st (GreenJackets 3, Mudcats 0) -- Geraldo Quintero doubles to right field. Cal Conley hits a sacrifice bunt, throwing error by Alberis Ferrer, Geraldo Quintero scores; Cal Conley to 2nd. Stephen Paolini flies out to Hedbert Perez. Adam Zebrowski walks. Cal Conley steals 3rd base. Brandon Parker singles to left-center field, Cal Conley scores; Adam Zebrowski to 2nd. Wild pitch by Brannon Jordan, Adam Zebrowski to 3rd; Brandon Parker to 2nd. Kadon Morton singles to left-center field, Adam Zebrowski scores; Brandon Parker to 3rd. Braulio Vasquez struck out looking. Kadon Morton steals 2nd base. Victor De Hoyos strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 4th (GreenJackets 3, Mudcats 1) -- Jackson Chourio singles to left-center field. Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging. Jackson Chourio steals 2nd base. Jesus Chirinos singles to center field, Jackson Chourio to 3rd. Hendry Mendez singles to right-center field, Jackson Chourio scores; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Alberis Ferrer reaches on fielding error by Caleb Durbin, Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Hendry Mendez to 2nd. Jose Sibrian pops out to Braulio Vasquez.

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

GreenJackets 5th (GreenJackets 5, Mudcats 1) -- Geraldo Quintero singles to deep shortstop. Cal Conley singles to right field, Geraldo Quintero to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Trevor Tietz replaces Brannon Jordan. Stephen Paolini flies out to Arbert Cipion, Geraldo Quintero to 3rd. Cal Conley steals 2nd base, Geraldo Quintero steals home. Adam Zebrowski reaches on throwing error by Alberis Ferrer, Cal Conley scores. Wild pitch by Trevor Tietz, Adam Zebrowski to 2nd. Brandon Parker strikes out swinging. Kadon Morton walks. Braulio Vasquez flies out to Hedbert Perez.

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

Mudcats 5th (GreenJackets 5, Mudcats 2) -- Zack Raabe lines out to Braulio Vasquez. Arbert Cipion walks. Jackson Chourio doubles to left-center field, Arbert Cipion scores. Pitcher Change: Isrrael De La Cruz replaces Luis Vargas. Eduardo Garcia flies out to Brandon Parker. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Cal Conley to Braulio Vasquez.

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

GreenJackets 8th (GreenJackets 7, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Jakob Brustoski replaces Junior Montero. Brandon Parker pops out to Jesus Chirinos in foul territory. Kadon Morton singles to deep shortstop. Braulio Vasquez walks, Kadon Morton to 2nd. Victor De Hoyos struck out looking. Caleb Durbin triples to right field, Kadon Morton scores; Braulio Vasquez scores. Geraldo Quintero strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 8th (GreenJackets 7, Mudcats 7) -- Jackson Chourio hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch. Eduardo Garcia singles to right field. Jesus Chirinos singles to right-center field, Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Hendry Mendez walks, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Juan Mateo replaces Isrrael De La Cruz. Hedbert Perez singles to right field, Eduardo Garcia scores; Jesus Chirinos scores; Hendry Mendez to 3rd. Alberis Ferrer grounds out, Caleb Durbin to Braulio Vasquez, Hendry Mendez scores; Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Jose Sibrian strikes out swinging. Zack Raabe singles to right-center field, Hedbert Perez scores. Arbert Cipion lines out to Brandon Parker.

(5 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

GreenJackets 9th (GreenJackets 9, Mudcats 7) -- Pitcher Change: Brandon Ramey replaces Jakob Brustoski. Cal Conley flies out to Hedbert Perez. Stephen Paolini hits a home run to right field on a 2-2 pitch. Adam Zebrowski grounds out, Eduardo Garcia to Jesus Chirinos. Brandon Parker walks. Kadon Morton singles to center field, Brandon Parker to 2nd. Braulio Vasquez walks, Brandon Parker to 3rd; Kadon Morton to 2nd. Victor De Hoyos walks, Brandon Parker scores; Kadon Morton to 3rd; Braulio Vasquez to 2nd. Caleb Durbin grounds into a force out, fielded by Alberis Ferrer, Braulio Vasquez out at 3rd.

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