Henderson Totals 10 Ks in 13-1 Defeat of Down East

The first-place Mudcats took a 3-2 series lead in the final homestand of the season with the victory

September 2, 2023

DE: 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 0
CAR: 0 1 4 2 0 1 0 5 x 13 13 1

WP: Logan Henderson (4 - 3) LP: Brayan Mendoza (1 - 3) SV: Jeferson Figueroa (1)

Postgame Interview: Manager Victor Estevez

ZEBULON, N.C. – Logan Henderson totaled a career-high 10 strikeouts, Jesus Chirinos hit a grand slam in the third, Reidy Mercado drove in two with two doubles and Kay-Lan Nicasia went 3-for-3 with three runs as the Carolina Mudcats trounced the Down East Wood Ducks 13-1 on Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

Henderson (W, 4-3) became the first Carolina (35-24, 68-54) starter to reach double-digits in strikeouts this season as fanned 10 over six quality innings pitched. He originally pitched through five scoreless before giving up a run on three two-out hits in the sixth. Jeferson Figueroa (S, 1) followed and retired nine straight to finish the game while earning his first save of the season.

The Mudcats originally led 1-0 after the second before going up 5-0 on Chirinos’ grand slam in the third. They then added two more in the fourth with RBI doubles from Mercado and Gregory Barrios while taking a 7-0 lead.

The Wood Ducks (27-32, 64-56) scored their only run of the game with two outs in the sixth, but Carolina answered with another RBI double from Mercado in the same inning while staying up by seven at 8-1. Carolina then broke the game open with a five run eighth that included a bases loaded ground rule double from Juan Baez and a two-run single from Blayberg Diaz.

Baez’s ground rule came on a comebacker to the mound that hit reliever Adrian Rodriguez before sailing into the visiting dugout. Diaz also singled in the second while extending his hitting streak to a career-high 13 straight games.

The victory lifted Carolina to a 3-2 lead in their final homestand and six-game series against the Wood Ducks. The victory also kept the first-place Mudcats atop of the Carolina League North Division second half standings by 3.0 games over Lynchburg and 3.5 games over Fredericksburg.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina: Chirinos (7, 3rd inning off Widger, 3 on, 1 out).

STOLEN BASES:
Down East: Villarroel (16, 2nd base off Henderson/Diaz).
Carolina: Adams (29, 2nd base off Mendoza/Piotto); Mercado (6, 3rd base off Widger/Piotto).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Piotto, C (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 RBI
Chirinos, DH (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB
Nicasia, LF (Carolina): 3-for-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Mercado, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Baez, J, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Henderson (W, 4-3) (Carolina): 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO
Figueroa (S, 1) (Carolina): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Wood Ducks 0) -- Luke Adams singles to right-center field. Luke Adams steals 2nd base. Jesus Chirinos walks. Blayberg Diaz singles to right-center field, Luke Adams to 3rd; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Luis Castillo struck out looking. Kay-Lan Nicasia out on a sacrifice fly to JoJo Blackmon, Luke Adams scores. Reidy Mercado grounds into a force out, Gleider Figuereo to Devin Hurdle, Blayberg Diaz out at 2nd. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 5, Wood Ducks 0) -- Daniel Guilarte doubles to right field. Gregory Barrios lines out to JoJo Blackmon, Daniel Guilarte to 3rd. Juan Baez walks. Luke Adams hit by pitch, Juan Baez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: C.J. Widger replaces Brayan Mendoza. Jesus Chirinos hits a grand slam to right field on a 1-2 pitch, Daniel Guilarte scores; Juan Baez scores; Luke Adams scores. Blayberg Diaz grounds out, C.J. Widger to Anthony Calarco. Luis Castillo struck out looking. (4 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 7, Wood Ducks 0) -- Kay-Lan Nicasia singles to deep second base. Passed ball by Konner Piotto, Kay-Lan Nicasia to 2nd. Reidy Mercado doubles to center field, Kay-Lan Nicasia scores. Reidy Mercado steals 3rd base. Daniel Guilarte grounds out, Danyer Cueva to Anthony Calarco. Gregory Barrios doubles to center field, Reidy Mercado scores. Gregory Barrios caught stealing 3rd base, Konner Piotto to Gleider Figuereo. Juan Baez lines out to Devin Hurdle. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 6th (Mudcats 7, Wood Ducks 1) -- Devin Hurdle grounds out, Gregory Barrios to Luke Adams. Quincy Scott strikes out swinging. JoJo Blackmon singles to right-center field. Gleider Figuereo singles to right field, JoJo Blackmon to 2nd. Konner Piotto singles to right-center field, JoJo Blackmon scores; Gleider Figuereo out at 3rd on the throw, Reidy Mercado to Juan Baez. (1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 8, Wood Ducks 1) -- Luis Castillo grounds out, Devin Hurdle to Anthony Calarco. Kay-Lan Nicasia doubles to left field. Reidy Mercado hits a ground rule double to right field, Kay-Lan Nicasia scores. Daniel Guilarte strikes out swinging. Gregory Barrios flies out to Quincy Scott. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 13, Wood Ducks 1) -- Luis Castillo lines out to Quincy Scott. Kay-Lan Nicasia singles to right field. Reidy Mercado strikes out swinging. Daniel Guilarte walks, Kay-Lan Nicasia to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Adrian Rodriguez replaces Kohl Drake. Gregory Barrios walks, Kay-Lan Nicasia to 3rd; Daniel Guilarte to 2nd. Juan Baez hits a ground rule double to right-center field, Kay-Lan Nicasia scores; Daniel Guilarte scores; Gregory Barrios to 3rd. Wild pitch by Adrian Rodriguez, Gregory Barrios scores; Juan Baez to 3rd. Luke Adams walks. Jesus Chirinos walks, Luke Adams to 2nd. Blayberg Diaz singles to center field, Juan Baez scores; Luke Adams scores; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Luis Castillo strikes out swinging. (5 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)