Cornielle and Rodriguez Blank Ballers 13-0

Kannapolis 0 @ Carolina 13

May 25, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:00 PM | Att : 944 | T : 2:34

KAN: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2

CAR: 0 1 1 0 0 0 4 7 x 13 16 1

WP: Alexander Cornielle (2 - 4) LP: Tommy Sommer (0 - 4) SV: Carlos Rodriguez (1)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Victor Estevez

ZEBULON – Jackson Chourio went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, Jose Sibrian went 3-for-5 with three doubles and three runs, Jheremy Vargas had three hits and two runs, Eduardo Garcia scored three times while going 3-for-6 and pitchers Alexander Cornielle and Carlos Rodriguez combined on a four-hit shutout as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 13-0 on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (23-18) scored two early runs over the second and third before breaking the game open with a four-run seventh and seven-run eighth. It was Zack Raabe’s sac fly in the second that ended up being all that Carolina needed as Cornielle (2-4) and Rodriguez (S, 1) combined on a four-hit shutout and 15 strikeouts while blanking the Cannon Ballers (17-24) and leading Carolina to its first shutout win of the season.

Cornielle started and pitched through five scoreless frames with two hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. Rodriguez worked the final four innings with two hits, two walks and a career high eight strikeouts.

Tommy Sommer started for Kannapolis and ended up with the loss despite allowing just the two early runs. He also walked four and struck out six over five innings in the loss.

Carolina initially led 1-0 on Raabe’s sac fly in the second, but would go up 2-0 in the third on a RBI single from Chourio. The game stayed at 2-0 through the remainder of Sommer’s start and into the sixth until Carolina broke the game up open with their four run and four hit seventh. Reliever Haylen Green worked the sixth and part of the seventh and would be charged with all four runs in the inning.

Vargas and Cipion started the seventh with back-to-back singles against Green. Garcia then reached on a force and Chourio followed with a RBI double to score Vargas. Garcia later came across on a groundout from Hendry Mendez, while Chourio later on a Sibrian double. Green would then be knocked out of the game after giving up a RBI single to Hedbert Perez.

Carolina led 6-0 after the seventh, but went on to rally for seven runs in the eighth against relievers Zach Cable and Adisyn Coffey. Like the seventh, Vargas and Cipion both started the eighth with hits with Vargas started the frame with a double before moving to third on a single from Cipion. Garcia then drove in Vargas with a double and Cipion scored on a groundout from Chourio. The eighth then continued with a wild pitch to score Garcia, a Sibrian double, a single from Perez and a walk by Jesus Chirinos.

Coffey took over with the bases loaded in the seventh and was immediately greeted by a run-scoring hit from Raabe. A misplay in right on Raabe’s hit would allow one more run to score on that same play and would set things up for Vargas as his single to center brought it Chirinos. Cipion also singled in a run in the eighth and both he and Varagas had two hits in the eighth as Carolina batted around.

The Mudcats took a 2-0 series lead and moved into first place in the Carolina League North with the Wednesday night victory. The series continues Thursday night at Five County Stadium with right-hander Miguel Segura starting for the Mudcats.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Sibrian, C (Carolina): 3-for-5, 3 R, 3 2B, 1 RBI

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 3-for-6, 3 R, 1 RBI

Vargas, 3B (Carolina): 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI

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

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

Gladney, 1B (Kannapolis): 2-for-4

Bailey, LF (Kannapolis): 1-for-3, 1 2B

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Cornielle (W, 2-4) (Carolina): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

Rodriguez (S, 1) (Carolina): 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

Sommer (L, 0-4) (Kannapolis): 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Jose Sibrian hits a ground rule double to right field. Hedbert Perez walks. Jesus Chirinos flies out to Misael Gonzalez, Jose Sibrian to 3rd; Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Zack Raabe out on a sacrifice fly to Misael Gonzalez, Jose Sibrian scores. Jheremy Vargas flies out to Benyamin Bailey.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 2, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging. Eduardo Garcia singles through the hole at second base, Eduardo Garcia advances to 2nd on fielding error by Chase Krogman. Jackson Chourio singles to right field, Eduardo Garcia scores. Hendry Mendez grounds out, Wilber Sanchez to DJ Gladney, Jackson Chourio to 2nd. Jose Sibrian lines out to Wes Kath.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Jheremy Vargas singles up the middle. Arbert Cipion singles to deep second base, Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia grounds into a force out, Colson Montgomery to Wilber Sanchez, Jheremy Vargas to 3rd; Arbert Cipion out at 2nd. Jackson Chourio doubles to right-center field, Jheremy Vargas scores; Eduardo Garcia to 3rd. Hendry Mendez grounds out, DJ Gladney to Wilber Sanchez, Eduardo Garcia scores; Jackson Chourio to 3rd. Jose Sibrian doubles to right field, Jackson Chourio scores. Hedbert Perez singles to right field, Jose Sibrian scores. Pitcher Change: Zach Cable replaces Haylen Green. Wild pitch by Zach Cable, Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos walks. Zack Raabe grounds out, Wilber Sanchez to DJ Gladney.

(4 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 13, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Jheremy Vargas doubles to left-center field. Arbert Cipion singles to right field, Jheremy Vargas to 3rd. Eduardo Garcia singles through the hole at second base, Jheremy Vargas scores; Arbert Cipion to 3rd. Jackson Chourio grounds out, Colson Montgomery to DJ Gladney, Arbert Cipion scores; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Hendry Mendez grounds out, Zach Cable to DJ Gladney, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd. Wild pitch by Zach Cable, Eduardo Garcia scores. Jose Sibrian doubles to right field. Hedbert Perez singles to right field, Jose Sibrian to 3rd. Jesus Chirinos walks, Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Adisyn Coffey replaces Zach Cable. Zack Raabe singles to right field, Jose Sibrian scores; Hedbert Perez scores; Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd; fielding error by Chase Krogman. Jheremy Vargas singles to center field, Jesus Chirinos scores; Zack Raabe to 3rd. Arbert Cipion singles to right-center field, Zack Raabe scores; Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia grounds out, Wes Kath to DJ Gladney.

(7 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)