Chourio Hits 12th Homer in 8-5 Loss

Carolina 5 @ Kannapolis 8

July 09, 2022 | Venue : Atrium Health Ballpark | First pitch : 6:59 PM | Att : 3,174 | T : 2:47

CAR: 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 5 13 1

KAN: 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 6 x 8 5 0

WP: Angel Acevedo (2 - 2) LP: Junior Montero (4 - 1)

KANNAPOLIS – Jackson Chourio went 2-for-4 with a game-tying home run in the sixth, Hendry Mendez went 3-for-5 with a RBI single in the ninth and Jeison Pena struck out seven over three innings in relief, but the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers broke a 2-2 tie with six runs in the eighth while defeating the Carolina Mudcats the for the fourth straight game 8-5 on Saturday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

The Mudcats (6-8, 40-40) originally led 1-0 in the first after Mendez doubled to start the game before scoring on a two-out RBI single from Chourio. Kannapolis (36-44, 10-4) then went on to tie the game in the third when Andy Atwood hit a solo home run off starter Carlos Rodriguez. That run would be all that Rodriguez allowed in his start though as he went through four innings with a run allowed on just one hit. He also walked two and struck out five.

Things stayed locked at 1-1 through the fourth before the Cannon Ballers managed to bring across a run when newly assigned Carolina reliever Jeison Pena hit a batter with the bases loaded in the fifth. Pena allowed just one hit and one run in the fifth and would go on to allow just that one run and one hit while pitching through three innings. Pena ended up walking four, but struck out seven over three innings pitched.

Chourio then tied the game at 2-2 with his solo home run off reliever Kohl Simas in the Carolina half of the sixth. The home run was his team leading 12th of the season and his third in his last four games.

The 2-2 tie held through the seventh until Junior Montero and Miguel Guerrero combined to allow six Kannapolis runs in the eighth. Montero walked four, hit a batter and gave up a hit while allowing all six runs in the eighth. Montero retired just one batter in the eighth and was eventually replaced by Miguel Guerrero who would go on to allow three inherited runners to score. Guerrero walked in a run and gave up a two-run single to Samil Polanco in the eighth.

Carolina eventually came back with three runs in the ninth off Angel Acevedo, but that late rally came up short as the Cannon Ballers held on for a series-clinching 8-5 victory. Luis Silva and Mendez both had scoring hits in the ninth for the Mudcats. Silva’s was a two-run double and was his only hit of the game. Acevedo (2-2) picked up the win despite allowing three runs on four hits over two innings.

Carolina outhit Kannapolis 13-5, but ended up losing for the fourth straight game. The series will continue with the finale on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Kannapolis.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Chourio (12, 6th inning off Simas, 0 on, 1 out).

Kannapolis: Atwood (2, 3rd inning off Rodriguez, 0 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Mendez, RF (Carolina): 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Raabe, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Sibrian, C (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Silva, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Atwood, SS (Kannapolis): 1-for-2, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Smelley, DH (Kannapolis): 0-for-1, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Polanco, 2B (Kannapolis): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Torres, V, C (Kannapolis): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Rodriguez (Carolina): 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Pena, Je (Carolina): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO

Guerrero (Carolina): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Owen (Kannapolis): 5 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Simas (BS, 1) (Kannapolis): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Hendry Mendez doubles to right field. Zack Raabe grounds out, Samil Polanco to DJ Gladney, Hendry Mendez to 3rd. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Jackson Chourio singles through the hole at shortstop, Hendry Mendez scores. Jackson Chourio caught stealing 2nd base, Victor Torres to Andy Atwood.

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

Cannon Ballers 3rd (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Caberea Weaver lines out to Hedbert Perez. James Beard strikes out on foul tip. Andy Atwood hits a home run to left field on a 3-2 pitch. Colby Smelley pops out to Luis Silva.

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

Cannon Ballers 5th (Cannon Ballers 2, Mudcats 1) -- Pitcher Change: Jeison Pena replaces Carlos Rodriguez. Logan Glass walks. Victor Torres singles through the hole at second base, Logan Glass to 3rd. Caberea Weaver pops out to Zack Raabe. James Beard strikes out swinging. Andy Atwood hit by pitch, Victor Torres to 2nd. Colby Smelley hit by pitch, Logan Glass scores; Victor Torres to 3rd; Andy Atwood to 2nd. Wilfred Veras strikes out swinging.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 2, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Pitcher Change: Kohl Simas replaces Noah Owen. Hedbert Perez grounds out to DJ Gladney. Jackson Chourio hits a home run to left field on a 1-2 pitch. Eduardo Garcia walks. Eduardo Garcia caught stealing 2nd base, Victor Torres to Samil Polanco. Jose Sibrian walks. Jose Sibrian advances to 2nd on a balk. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging.

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

Cannon Ballers 8th (Cannon Ballers 8, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Junior Montero replaces Jeison Pena. Samil Polanco walks. Logan Glass hit by pitch, Samil Polanco to 2nd. Victor Torres hits a sacrifice bunt, Samil Polanco to 3rd; Logan Glass to 2nd; Victor Torres to 1st. Passed ball by Jose Sibrian, Samil Polanco scores; Logan Glass to 3rd; Victor Torres to 2nd. Caberea Weaver singles to right field, Logan Glass scores; Caberea Weaver out at 2nd, Jose Sibrian to Eduardo Garcia, Victor Torres to 3rd. James Beard walks. Andy Atwood walks, James Beard to 2nd. Colby Smelley walks, Victor Torres scores; James Beard to 3rd; Andy Atwood to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Miguel Guerrero replaces Junior Montero. Wilfred Veras struck out looking. DJ Gladney walks, James Beard scores; Andy Atwood to 3rd; Colby Smelley to 2nd. Samil Polanco singles to left field, Andy Atwood scores; Colby Smelley scores; DJ Gladney to 2nd. Logan Glass strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 9th (Cannon Ballers 8, Mudcats 5) -- Eduardo Garcia hit by pitch. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Jean Carmona replaces Eduardo Garcia. Jose Sibrian singles to right field, Jean Carmona to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos strikes out on foul tip. Jesus Garcia grounds out, Angel Acevedo to DJ Gladney, Jean Carmona to 3rd; Jose Sibrian to 2nd. Luis Silva doubles to left field, Jean Carmona scores; Jose Sibrian scores. Hendry Mendez singles to left-center field, Luis Silva scores. Zack Raabe singles to left-center field, Hendry Mendez to 2nd.

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