Knarr Totals Career High 11 Ks in 11-4 Victory

Carolina 11 @ Fayetteville 4

July 04, 2021 | Venue : SEGRA Stadium | First pitch : 2:04 PM | Att : 3,524 | T : 3:31

WP: Brandon Knarr (4 - 1) LP: Misael Tamarez (2 - 2)

FAYETTEVILLE – Brandon Knarr totaled a career high 11 strikeouts while turning in his first career quality start, Zavier Warren homered, doubled and reached base five times and Ernesto Martinez went 2-for-4 with a triple as the Mudcats earned an 11-4 Independence Day victory over the Woodpeckers at SEGRA Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Mudcats (30-23) reached double digits in runs for the second straight game while also closing out their road trip with their second straight victory against Fayetteville (22-31). Carolina began their two-week long road trip going 3-3 at Down East, but went just 2-5 in Fayetteville while going 5-8 overall in the 13-game stretch.

Knarr (4-1, 4.83) allowed a run in the second and a two-run home run to Zach Daniels in the fourth, but held the Woodpeckers scoreless thereafter while pitching through the sixth. In all, Knarr struck out 11, walked two and allowed three runs on five hits over six innings pitched. His career high 11 strikeouts included three in the first, two in the second and concluded with three in the sixth. He also faced 24 batters and reached 91 pitches, with 61 strikes.

Carolina actually trailed 1-0 early in Sunday’s Fourth of July game, but scored six runs in the third before wrapping things up with one more in the seventh, one in the eighth and three in the ninth while sealing the series finale victory.

The six run sixth began with a single by Gabe Holt (stretching his hitting streak to seven straight) and continued a few batters later with a two-run double by Noah Campbell. Fayetteville starter Misael Tamarez left after Campbell’s double and reliever Jose Betances followed out of the bullpen. The inning then continued with a run scoring hit from Martinez and a sac fly from Andre Nnebe.

Carolina led 6-3 after the fourth and later added to the lead with Warren’s home run in the seventh, another sac fly from Nnebe in the eighth and three more runs in the ninth. The three run ninth included a double from Ashton McGee (stretching his hit streak to six straight) and a two-run single from Joey Wiemer.

Tamarez (2-2, 6.00) ended up with the loss after allowing four runs on three this over two innings pitched. He also walked three and struck out six. Betances was charged with two runs (one earned) and allowed two inherited runners to score while working just one full inning. Alfredi Jimenez then entered out of the pen and went on to work through the next five and 1/3 innings while nearly finishing the game (Kevin Holcomb retired two in the ninth to finish it). Jimenez gave up four runs on three hits, but also struck out eight.

Warren doubled in the first, hit a solo home run in the seventh and walked three times while reaching base safely in all five of his at bats. He went 2-for-2 overall with three runs and a RBI. Warren's homer in the seventh lifted the Mudcats to a 7-3 lead and was his ninth of the season. It was also his eighth over his last 20 games.

Relievers Jason Munsch and Cam Robinson finished things out for the Mudcats. Munsch allowed a run in seventh and worked through two innings with one strikeout. Robinson pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out one as well.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina HR : Warren (9, 7th inning off Jimenez, A, 0 on, 1 out).

Fayetteville HR : Daniels (5, 4th inning off Knarr, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Warren, C (Carolina): 2-for-2, 3 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Campbell, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Wiemer, CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Nnebe, LF (Carolina): 0-for-2, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Martinez, SS (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Daniels, CF (Fayetteville): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Knarr (W, 4-1) (Carolina): 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 11 SO
Munsch (Carolina): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Robinson (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Betances (Fayetteville): 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Jimenez, A (Fayetteville): 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

SCORING PLAYS:
Woodpeckers 2nd (Woodpeckers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Justin Dirden struck out looking. Luke Berryhill walks. Luke Berryhill steals 2nd base. Zach Daniels pops out to Ernesto Martinez in foul territory. Yohander Martinez singles through the hole at second base, Luke Berryhill scores. Ronaldo Urdaneta strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 1) -- Gabe Holt singles to shallow left field. Ashton McGee reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Ronaldo Urdaneta, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Zavier Warren walks, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Noah Campbell doubles down the right-field line, Gabe Holt scores; Ashton McGee scores; Zavier Warren to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Jose Betances replaces Misael Tamarez. Joey Wiemer walks. Ernesto Martinez singles to center field, Zavier Warren scores; Noah Campbell scores; Joey Wiemer to 3rd. Ernesto Martinez steals 2nd base, Joey Wiemer scores; Ernesto Martinez to 3rd; throwing error by Nerio Rodriguez. Andre Nnebe out on a sacrifice fly to Kenedy Corona, Ernesto Martinez scores. Daniel Castillo strikes out swinging. Michael Wilson grounds out to Luke Berryhill.
(6 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Woodpeckers 4th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 3) -- Nerio Rodriguez singles to right-center field. Justin Dirden grounds into a force out, Brandon Knarr to Daniel Castillo, Nerio Rodriguez out at 2nd. Luke Berryhill pops out to Ernesto Martinez. Zach Daniels hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch, Justin Dirden scores. Yohander Martinez strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 7, Woodpeckers 3) -- Ashton McGee pops out to Yohander Martinez. Zavier Warren hits a home run to right-center field on a 1-1 pitch. Noah Campbell struck out looking. Joey Wiemer struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Woodpeckers 7th (Mudcats 7, Woodpeckers 4) -- Pitcher Change: Jason Munsch replaces Brandon Knarr. Zach Daniels grounds out, Noah Campbell to Ernesto Martinez. Yohander Martinez singles to shallow left field. Wild pitch by Jason Munsch, Yohander Martinez to 2nd. Ronaldo Urdaneta singles through the hole at shortstop, Yohander Martinez to 3rd. Ronaldo Urdaneta steals 2nd base, Yohander Martinez steals home. Kenedy Corona grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ernesto Martinez, Ronaldo Urdaneta to 3rd. Jordan Brewer grounds out, Noah Campbell to Ernesto Martinez.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 8, Woodpeckers 4) -- Ernesto Martinez triples down the right-field line. Andre Nnebe out on a sacrifice fly to Zach Daniels, Ernesto Martinez scores. Daniel Castillo grounds out, J.C. Correa to Luke Berryhill. Michael Wilson strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Mudcats 11, Woodpeckers 4) -- Gabe Holt struck out looking. Ashton McGee doubles down the right-field line. Zavier Warren walks. Pitcher Change: Kevin Holcomb replaces Alfredi Jimenez. Noah Campbell singles to left field, Ashton McGee to 3rd; Zavier Warren to 2nd. Joey Wiemer singles through the hole at shortstop, Ashton McGee scores; Zavier Warren scores; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Ernesto Martinez reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Ronaldo Urdaneta, Noah Campbell scores; throwing error by Ronaldo Urdaneta.Ernesto Martinez out at 2nd on the throw, Kenedy Corona to Yohander Martinez. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)