Garcia Totals Four Hits & Perez Homers in Finale Victory

Carolina 4 @ Fredericksburg 2

April 17, 2022 | Venue : Virginia Credit Union Stadium | First pitch : 6:07 PM | Att : 3,606 | T : 2:41

CAR: 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 10 0

FBG: 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 6 3

WP: Michele Vassalotti (1 - 0) LP: Andry Lara (0 - 1) SV: Junior Montero (1)

FREDERICKSBURG – Hedbert Perez hit a solo home run in the first, Eduardo Garcia went 4-for-5 with a RBI single in the seventh, and Zack Raabe went 2-for-4 with two runs as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Fredericksburg Nationals 4-2 in the finale of a six-game series on Sunday night at Virginia Credit Union Stadium.

The Mudcats (5-4) once again led first as they took an early 1-0 lead in the opening frame thanks to Perez’s solo home run. The home run was his first of the season and gave the Mudcats a first inning run for the sixth time in the club’s last seven games.

Fredericksburg (6-2) starter Andry Lara allowed the Perez homer in the first and balked in a run in the third. Lara (0-1) worked through the fourth in his start and took the loss.

The Mudcats led 2-0 through the fourth before the FredNats scored their first run of the game in the last of the fifth. That lone run came against starter Alexander Cornielle and was the only run allowed by Carolina’s starting pitcher. Cornielle ended up going four and 2/3 innings with four walks and five strikeouts. Michele Vassalotti took over for Cornille in the fifth and went on to strand two inherited runners on base. Vassalotti (1-0) retired one batter in the fifth and worked a scoreless sixth while earning the victory.

The Carolina lead grew to 4-1 in the seventh after Garcia and Hendry Mendez both came through with RBI singled. Garcia’s was his third of four hits in the game as he singled in the third, doubled in the fifth, singled in a run in the seventh, and singled again in the ninth.

The FredNats scored one last run in the ninth on a wild pitch, but Junior Montero would recover and finish the final frame while earning the save. Montero (S, 1) struck out one, walked one and allowed one run in his appearance.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Perez (1, 1st inning off Lara, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 4-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

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

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

De La Rosa, CF (Fredericksburg): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

House, SS (Fredericksburg): 1-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Cornielle (Carolina): 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO

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

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

Collins (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Ferrer (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Nationals 0) -- Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging. Hedbert Perez hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Hendry Mendez walks. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging and Hendry Mendez caught stealing 2nd, Geraldi Diaz to Viandel Pena to Geraldi Diaz.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 2, Nationals 0) -- Alberis Ferrer strikes out swinging. Zack Raabe singles to center field. Eduardo Garcia singles to right field, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Hedbert Perez pops out to Viandel Pena on the infield fly rule. Hendry Mendez walks, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Zack Raabe scores on a balk; Eduardo Garcia advances to 3rd on a balk; Hendry Mendez advances to 2nd on a balk. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging.

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

Nationals 5th (Mudcats 2, Nationals 1) -- Viandel Pena grounds out to Jesus Chirinos. Jeremy De La Rosa walks. Sammy Infante singles to shallow left field, Jeremy De La Rosa to 2nd. Jeremy De La Rosa steals 3rd base, Sammy Infante steals 2nd base. Brady House grounds out, Eduardo Garcia to Jesus Chirinos, Jeremy De La Rosa scores. Branden Boissiere walks. Pitcher Change: Michele Vassalotti replaces Alexander Cornielle. Leandro Emiliani strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 4, Nationals 1) -- Oswel Leones struck out looking. Jheremy Vargas singles to right field. Zack Raabe singles to center field, fielding error by Jeremy De La Rosa. Eduardo Garcia singles to deep shortstop, Jheremy Vargas scores; throwing error by Brady House. Hedbert Perez pops out to Sammy Infante in foul territory. Hendry Mendez singles up the middle, Zack Raabe scores; Eduardo Garcia to 3rd. Arbert Cipion flies out to Jeremy De La Rosa.

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

Nationals 9th (Mudcats 4, Nationals 2) -- Pitcher Change: Junior Montero replaces Christian Tripp. Viandel Pena walks. Jeremy De La Rosa grounds out, Jesus Chirinos to Junior Montero, Viandel Pena to 2nd; Jeremy De La Rosa out at 1st. Viandel Pena steals 3rd base, Viandel Pena scores;wild pitch by Junior Montero. Sammy Infante grounds out, Eduardo Garcia to Jesus Chirinos. Brady House strikes out swinging.

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