Early Rally Not Enough in 6-2 Loss in Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG – Despite getting three straight hits and two runs to start the game, the Carolina Mudcats ended up on the losing end of their first road game of the season as they fell to the Fredericksburg Nationals 6-2 on Tuesday night at Virginia Credit Union Stadium.

Eduardo Garcia, Oswal Leones (first hit and first at-bat of the season) and Jeferson Quero each had hits to the start the game, but starter Bryan Caceres went on to retire the next three straight to finish the first while limiting the damage. Caceres (1-0, 2.45) stayed in through the fifth and ended up retiring 15 straight batters after giving up the three early hits and two early runs.

Relievers Peyton Glavine, Tyler Schoff and Jack Sinclair followed Caceres out of the Fredericksburg (3-1) bullpen and would continue to stifle the Carolina (3-1) batters the rest of the way. Glavine retired six straight between the sixth and seventh innings. Schoof and Sinclair then kept the Mudcats scoreless over the final two frames.

Alexander Cornielle started for the Mudcats and took the loss after allowing a run in the third and four runs (three unearned) in the fourth. Cornielle (0-1, 2.45) also struck out three, walked three and gave up five hits including an RBI double to Brady House in the third, and a two-run home run to Jeremy De La Rosa in the fourth. The fourth, however, began with a catching error by Jesus Chirinos, thus making all four runs in that inning unearned.

Cornielle was later followed by relievers Karlos Morales and Brandon Ramey who went on to hold the FredNats without a run after Cornielle’s departure. Reliever Jakob Brustoski worked the ninth and allowed a run on two hits. He also struck out two and walked one.

HOME RUNS:
Fredericksburg: De La Rosa (2, 4th inning off Cornielle, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Leones, LF (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Quero, C (Carolina): 1-for-3, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
House, SS (Fredericksburg): 3-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Pena, V, 2B (Fredericksburg): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
De La Rosa, CF (Fredericksburg): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Cornielle (L, 0-1) (Carolina): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
Morales (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Ramey (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Brustoski (Carolina): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Caceres (W, 1-0) (Fredericksburg): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
Glavine (H, 1) (Fredericksburg): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Schoff (H, 1) (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Sinclair (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Nationals 0) -- Eduardo Garcia singles up the middle. Oswel Leones triples to right field, Eduardo Garcia scores. Jeferson Quero doubles through the hole at shortstop, Oswel Leones scores. Hendry Mendez grounds out, Viandel Pena to Branden Boissiere, Jeferson Quero to 3rd. Jesus Chirinos struck out looking. Hedbert Perez grounds out, Viandel Pena to Branden Boissiere.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Nationals 3rd (Mudcats 2, Nationals 1) -- Viandel Pena singles to right field. Jacob Young lines out to Eduardo Garcia. Jeremy De La Rosa pops out to Luis Silva. Brady House doubles to right-center field, Viandel Pena scores. Branden Boissiere walks. Andry Arias flies out to Oswel Leones.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Nationals 4th (Nationals 5, Mudcats 2) -- Sammy Infante reaches on fielding error by Jesus Chirinos, Sammy Infante to 2nd. Geraldi Diaz singles to right field, Sammy Infante to 3rd; Geraldi Diaz to 2nd. T.J. White struck out looking. Viandel Pena singles to right field, Sammy Infante scores; Geraldi Diaz scores. Viandel Pena steals 2nd base. Jacob Young flies out to Oswel Leones. Jeremy De La Rosa hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch, Viandel Pena scores. Pitcher Change: Karlos Morales replaces Alexander Cornielle. Brady House singles to right field. Wild pitch by Karlos Morales, Brady House to 2nd. Branden Boissiere flies out to Hendry Mendez.
(4 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Nationals 8th (Nationals 6, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Jakob Brustoski replaces Brandon Ramey. T.J. White doubles to center field. Viandel Pena struck out looking. Jacob Young struck out looking. Wild pitch by Jakob Brustoski, T.J. White to 3rd. Jeremy De La Rosa walks. Brady House singles to shallow center field, T.J. White scores; Jeremy De La Rosa to 2nd. Wild pitch by Jakob Brustoski, Jeremy De La Rosa to 3rd; Brady House to 2nd. Branden Boissiere flies out to Micah Bello.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)