Knarr and Belzer Stifle Hillcats in Doubleheader Sweep

ZEBULON – Starter Brandon Knarr struck out nine in a 3-2 game one victory and game two starter Nick Belzer went seven complete innings while leading the Mudcats to a 5-2 win and a doubleheader sweep of the Hillcats on Saturday at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (34-24) took game one 3-2 and later won the second game 5-2 over the Hillcats (27-30). Carolina’s game two victory was the series clincher as it put the Mudcats up four games to one in the series. It was also Manager Joe Ayrault’s 800th career victory. (LISTEN: Joe Ayrault Post-Game Interview)

With today's doubleheader sweep, Carolina Mudcats manager Joe Ayrault secured his 800th career managerial victory at the Minor League level.

Congratulations to one of the greatest to ever do it in @MiLB. pic.twitter.com/nXFu7lJUNc

— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) July 11, 2021

Knarr (5-1, 4.60) hit a batter and walked one in the first, but went on to strikeout three in the opening frame while leaving two men on base. He then struck out the side in the second and faced only three batters in the third before allowing a leadoff home run to Cody Farhat in the fourth. Farhat homered again in the sixth, but those two resulting runs would be all that Knarr allowed in his six inning gem of a start. In all, Knarr struck out nine, walked one, hit two batters and allowed three hits over six quality innings.

Carolina’s three runs in the doubleheader opening victory came from Alex Hall, Joey Wiemer and Gabe Holt. Hall doubled (extending his hitting streak to seven straight) and scored a batter later on a double to right from Andre Nnebe to give the Mudcats a 1-0 lead. Wiemer then broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth by reaching on a single and stealing second and third before scoring on a throwing error by catcher Andres Melendez. Holt then lifted the lead to 3-1 after reaching on a single and scoring on a double from Zavier Warren in the fifth. Hall and Wiemer both scored on starter Lenny Torres, while Holt scored against reliever Zach Hart. Torres (0-3, 5.40) allowed two runs on three hits over three and 1/3 innings in the loss.

Belzer (5-2, 4.58) followed Knarr’s lead, but went the distance in game two while turning in Carolina’s second complete game of the season. His game two gem started with leadoff man Petey Halpin reaching on an error, but Belzer went on to record a strikeout and two groundouts while leaving Halpin on third to end the first. Belzer then worked around his own fielding error in the second by inducing a 3-6-3 double play while facing the minimum in that frame. He also worked around a hit by Halpin in the third by picking him off at first and went on to face just three in each of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Halpin also reached base in the sixth, but was taken off the bases when Belzer caught him stealing third. Despite allowing two hits and seeing two reach via error, Belzer faced the just one over the minimum through the sixth. That changed though when the Hillcats rallied for a couple of runs and one hit in the seventh. That two run frame cut the lead to the eventual final score of 5-2. In all, Belzer scattered three hits and allowed two runs over seven strong innings. He also struck out five while earning his fifth win of the season.

Carolina scored twice in the first, once in the fifth and twice more in the sixth in support of Belzer’s brilliant outing. Their two-run first included a run-scoring groundout from Wiemer that scored Holt and a wild pitch that plated Felix Valerio. Holt walked to start the first and Valerio singled before scoring on a wild pitch lost by starter Juan Zapata. Mike Wilson later drove in a run with a liner off Zapata and in to center in the fifth. The hit was Wilson’s first with the Mudcats and put Carolina up 3-0 in the game. Noah Campbell later walked with the bases loaded in the sixth to drive in a run. He also scored on a wild pitch in that inning. Holt also walked with the bags full to score Darrien Miller.

Zapata (1-1, 3.75) worked into the sixth and finished with four runs allowed on three hits over five and 1/3 innings. He also walked four and struck out five in the loss. Reliever Trey Benton took over in the sixth for Zapata, but failed to get out of the inning. He retired just one batter and left with one run allowed and with the bases loaded. Position player Miguel Jerez finished the sixth by getting Valerio to fly out to deep center.

The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon with game six of the six-game series starting at 1:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. The Mudcats lead the series 4-1.

GAME ONE

Lynchburg 2 @ Carolina 3

July 10, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 3:01 PM | - | T : 2:14

WP: Brandon Knarr (5 - 1) LP: Lenny Torres (0 - 3) SV: Cam Robinson (6)

HOME RUNS:

Lynchburg HR : Farhat 2 (5, 4th inning off Knarr, 0 on, 0 out, 6th inning off Knarr, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Farhat, LF (Lynchburg): 2-for-2, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBI

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

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

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

Hall, A, C (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Knarr (W, 5-1) (Carolina): 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO

Robinson (S, 6) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Torres (L, 0-3) (Lynchburg): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO

Hart (Lynchburg): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

SCORING SUMMARY:

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Hillcats 0) -- Joey Wiemer struck out looking. Ashton McGee grounds out, Christian Cairo to Miguel Jerez. Alex Hall doubles to left-center field. Andre Nnebe doubles through the hole at second base, Alex Hall scores. Gabe Holt walks. Freddy Zamora grounds out, Christian Cairo to Miguel Jerez.

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

Hillcats 4th (Hillcats 1, Mudcats 1) -- Cody Farhat hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-0 pitch. Johnathan Rodriguez grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ashton McGee. Miguel Jerez singles through the hole at shortstop. Alexfri Planez grounds into a force out, Freddy Zamora to Felix Valerio, Miguel Jerez out at 2nd. Korey Holland strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 2, Hillcats 1) -- Joey Wiemer singles to deep shortstop. Joey Wiemer steals 2nd base. Joey Wiemer steals 3rd base, Joey Wiemer scores; throwing error by Andres Melendez. Ashton McGee struck out looking. Pitcher Change: Zach Hart replaces Lenny Torres. Alex Hall grounds out to Miguel Jerez. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 3, Hillcats 1) -- Gabe Holt singles to right-center field. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging. Gabe Holt steals 2nd base. Zavier Warren doubles to right field, Gabe Holt scores. Felix Valerio grounds out to Miguel Jerez, Zavier Warren to 3rd. Zach Hart intentionally walks Noah Campbell. Joey Wiemer walks, Noah Campbell to 2nd. Ashton McGee strikes out swinging.

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

Hillcats 6th (Mudcats 3, Hillcats 2) -- Angel Martinez pops out to Freddy Zamora. Cody Farhat hits a home run to right-center field on a 0-1 pitch. Johnathan Rodriguez flies out to Andre Nnebe. Miguel Jerez strikes out on foul tip.

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

GAME TWO

Lynchburg 2 @ Carolina 5

July 10, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 5:54 PM | Att : 2,591 | T : 2:09

WP: Nick Belzer (5 - 2) LP: Juan Zapata (1 - 1)

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Halpin, LF (Lynchburg): 2-for-3, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Rodriguez, G, 3B (Lynchburg): 1-for-3, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

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

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

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

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Belzer (W, 5-2) (Carolina): 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

Zapata (L, 1-1) (Lynchburg): 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO

SCORING SUMMARY:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Hillcats 0) -- Gabe Holt walks. Felix Valerio singles through the hole at shortstop, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Zavier Warren flies out to Cody Farhat. Noah Campbell singles to left-center field, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Joey Wiemer grounds out, Juan Zapata to Wilfri Peralta, Gabe Holt scores; Felix Valerio to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Wild pitch by Juan Zapata, Felix Valerio scores; Noah Campbell to 3rd. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 3, Hillcats 0) -- Darrien Miller walks. Daniel Castillo grounds out, Juan Zapata to Wilfri Peralta, Darrien Miller to 2nd. Michael Wilson singles to right-center field, Darrien Miller scores. Gabe Holt lines out to Cody Farhat. Felix Valerio walks, Michael Wilson to 2nd. Zavier Warren grounds out, Christian Cairo to Wilfri Peralta.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 5, Hillcats 0) -- Noah Campbell walks. Joey Wiemer strikes out swinging. Pitcher Change: Trey Benton replaces Juan Zapata. Throwing error by Trey Benton on the pickoff attempt. Ernesto Martinez grounds out, Trey Benton to Wilfri Peralta, Noah Campbell to 3rd. Wild pitch by Trey Benton, Noah Campbell scores. Darrien Miller walks. Daniel Castillo hit by pitch, Darrien Miller to 2nd. Wild pitch by Trey Benton, Darrien Miller to 3rd; Daniel Castillo to 2nd. Michael Wilson walks. Gabe Holt walks, Darrien Miller scores; Daniel Castillo to 3rd; Michael Wilson to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Miguel Jerez replaces Trey Benton. Felix Valerio flies out to Petey Halpin.

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

Hillcats 7th (Mudcats 5, Hillcats 2) -- Christian Cairo hit by pitch. Cody Farhat lines out to Joey Wiemer. Yainer Diaz reaches on fielding error by Felix Valerio, Christian Cairo to 2nd. Johnathan Rodriguez lines out to Felix Valerio. Gabriel Rodriguez doubles to center field, Christian Cairo scores; Yainer Diaz scores.

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