Chourio Homers Again in 5-3 Carolina Loss

Carolina 3 @ Kannapolis 5

July 07, 2022 | Venue : Atrium Health Ballpark | First pitch : 7:01 PM | Att : 2,152 | T : 2:00

CAR: 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 2

KAN: 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 x 5 9 2

WP: Hunter Dollander (2 - 0) LP: Stiven Cruz (3 - 3) SV: Angel Acevedo (1)

KANNAPOLIS – Jackson Chourio hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the second, but Stiven Cruz allowed two home runs and five runs overall as the Carolina Mudcats lost their second straight game 5-3 to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

Chourio - who was named to the upcoming All-Star Future Game earlier in the day before the game - went 1-for-4 with his early three-run blast. The home run was his 11th of the season and his second in as many games. The Mudcats (6-6, 40-38), however, would not score again, marking the second straight game where Chourio accounted for all of Carolina’s runs.

The Cannon Ballers (8-4, 34-44) scored four of their five runs in the game via home runs with Wilfred Veras hitting a two-run shot in the first and Logan Glass connecting a two-run blast in the sixth. Both home runs were allowed by Cruz (3-3) and put Kannapolis up 2-0 and 5-3 respectively.

Cruz took the loss after allowing all five Kannapolis runs on nine hits over six innings. Cruz did, however, total seven strikeouts against zero walks while reaching 91 pitches (61 strikes).

Hunter Dollander started earned the win for the Cannon Ballers as he also went through six with just three runs allowed on five hits. Dollander (2-0) allowed Chourio’s homer in the second, but held the Mudcats without a run the rest of the way. Relievers Haylen Green and Angel Acevedo pitched the final three innings with Green tossing two scoreless frames and Acevedo (S, 1) working a scoreless ninth to get the save.

Carolina relievers Junior Montero and Michele Vassalotti worked the seventh and eighth respectively, with both turning in scoreless innings. Montero struck out the side in the seventh and Vassalotti faced four in the ninth while appearing in his league high 25th game of the season.

The loss was Carolina’s second straight in the series and dropped them into a 2-1 deficit in the six-game series. The series will continue with game four on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. in Kannapolis.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Chourio (11, 3rd inning off Dollander, 2 on, 2 out).

Kannapolis: Veras, W (13, 1st inning off Cruz, 1 on, 2 out); Glass (3, 6th inning off Cruz, 1 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

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

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

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

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

Glass, CF (Kannapolis): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

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

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

Dollander (W, 2-0) (Kannapolis): 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

Green (H, 4) (Kannapolis): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Acevedo (S, 1) (Kannapolis): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 2, Mudcats 0) -- Wilber Sanchez strikes out swinging. Wes Kath singles to right-center field. Colby Smelley flies out to Hendry Mendez. Wilfred Veras hits a home run to center field on a 0-0 pitch, Wes Kath scores. DJ Gladney flies out to Jackson Chourio.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 3, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Zack Raabe lines out to Andy Atwood. Jesus Chirinos walks. Jean Carmona singles to left field, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Hendry Mendez grounds into a force out, Andy Atwood to Wilber Sanchez, Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Jean Carmona out at 2nd. Jackson Chourio hits a home run to left field on a 1-1 pitch, Jesus Chirinos scores; Hendry Mendez scores. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Wilber Sanchez to Wilfred Veras.

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

Cannon Ballers 5th (Mudcats 3, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Caberea Weaver doubles to left field. Wilber Sanchez pops out to Jesus Chirinos. Wes Kath pops out to Jean Carmona. Colby Smelley singles to center field, Caberea Weaver scores; Colby Smelley advances to 3rd on fielding error by Jackson Chourio. Wilfred Veras strikes out swinging.

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

Cannon Ballers 6th (Cannon Ballers 5, Mudcats 3) -- DJ Gladney triples to right-center field. Logan Glass hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch, DJ Gladney scores. Victor Torres strikes out swinging. Andy Atwood flies out to Hendry Mendez. Caberea Weaver strikes out swinging.

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