Cornielle Totals 11 Ks in 3-2 First Half Finale Loss

Carolina 2 @ Down East 3

June 23, 2022 | Venue : Grainger Stadium | First pitch : 7:01 PM | Att : 1,471 | T : 2:27

CAR: 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 5 0

DE: 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 6 0

WP: Theo McDowell (4 - 1) LP: Karlos Morales (1 - 3)

KINSTON – Alexander Cornielle totaled a career-high 11 strikeouts while pitching into the sixth, but the Carolina Mudcats ended up losing their third straight game as Abimelec Ortiz hit a walk-off home run to lift the Down East Wood Ducks to a 3-2 victory on Thursday night at Grainger Stadium in Kinston.

The Mudcats (34-32) originally led 1-0 in the third after getting a run on a bases loaded walk to Jackson Chourio. Jesus Chirinos started that frame with a single before scoring on the free pass. That 1-0 lead disappeared in the fifth when Yosy Galan hit a solo home run off Cornielle to tie the game at 1-1. Down East went on to add one more in the sixth and led 2-1 before the Mudcats rallied for a couple of hits and a run in the eighth. That run tied the game at 2-2, but the Wood Ducks would go on to win it on the Ortiz walk-off homer.

Reliever Karlos Morales allowed the walk-off homer and took the loss. He was the third and final pitcher of the night as Cornielle started and worked into the sixth before Michele Vassalotti took over in relief. Cornielle turned in a gem as he struck out 11, walked one and allowed just two runs on three hits over five and 2/3 innings. Vassalotti allowed an inherited runner to score while working through the rest of the sixth and later the seventh. He also finished with one strikeout, one walk and one hit allowed.

The Mudcats entered the game in a tie for first-place in the Carolina League North standings, but ended up falling to second behind Lynchburg and Salem. Despite finishing tied with the Red Sox, the Hillcats, by virtue of a tie-breaker, ended up winning the North division first half title.

Carolina will remain in Kinston for the start of the second half schedule beginning on Friday night at Grainger Stadium against the Wood Ducks. All Carolina League teams will have their records reset to 0-0 for the start of the second half schedule.

HOME RUNS:

Down East: Galan (9, 5th inning off Cornielle, 0 on, 0 out); Ortiz (4, 9th inning off Morales, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Acosta, M, SS (Down East): 1-for-3, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Galan, LF (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Ortiz, 1B (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

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

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Cornielle (Carolina): 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO

Vassalotti (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Garcia, R (Down East): 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO

Gessner (Down East): 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

McDowell, T (W, 4-1) (Down East): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 1, Wood Ducks 0) -- Zack Raabe flies out to Daniel Mateo. Jesus Chirinos singles to right field. Jheremy Vargas walks, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia singles to right field, Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Jackson Chourio walks, Jesus Chirinos scores; Jheremy Vargas to 3rd; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Jean Carmona strikes out swinging. Jeferson Quero struck out looking.

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

Wood Ducks 5th (Mudcats 1, Wood Ducks 1) -- Yosy Galan hits a home run to left field on a 0-2 pitch. Jose Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Abimelec Ortiz strikes out swinging. Xavier Valentin singles to right field. Junior Paniagua strikes out swinging.

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

Wood Ducks 6th (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 1) -- Alejandro Osuna strikes out swinging. Daniel Mateo walks. Daniel Mateo steals 2nd base. Efrenyer Narvaez flies out to Jackson Chourio. Pitcher Change: Michele Vassalotti replaces Alexander Cornielle. Maximo Acosta doubles to left field, Daniel Mateo scores. Yosy Galan struck out looking.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 2, Wood Ducks 2) -- Eduardo Garcia singles through the hole at shortstop. Jackson Chourio singles to right-center field, Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Jean Carmona out on a sacrifice bunt, Abimelec Ortiz to Xavier Valentin, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd; Jackson Chourio to 2nd. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Junior Paniagua to Maximo Acosta to Abimelec Ortiz, Eduardo Garcia scores. Hendry Mendez strikes out swinging.

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

Wood Ducks 9th (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 2) -- Defensive Substitution: Luis Silva replaces first baseman Jesus Chirinos, batting 8th, playing 1st. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Tucker Mitchell replaces Jose Rodriguez. Tucker Mitchell pops out to Jean Carmona in foul territory.

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