Mendez Caps Comeback With Walk-Off Grand Slam

Down East 6 @ Carolina 8

May 20, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:03 PM | Att : 2,753 | T : 2:38

DE: 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3 0 6 6 2

CAR: 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 6 8 10 1

WP: Junior Montero (3 - 0) LP: Jackson Leath (0 - 1)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Victor Estevez

ZEBULON – Hendry Mendez hit a walk-off grand slam with two-outs in the ninth as the Carolina Mudcats came back with six two-out runs in the final frame for an 8-6 victory versus the Down East Wood Ducks on Friday night at Five County Stadium. Mendez went 2-for-3 with two walks, four RBI and the walk-off home run while leading Carolina to its third straight victory.

A grand walk-off for Hendry Mendez! pic.twitter.com/6DJGqV1Rt4

— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) May 21, 2022

The Mudcats (20-17) were down 6-2 going into the ninth and were down to their final out before scoring six runs on four hits while defeating the Wood Ducks (15-22) to take a 3-1 lead in the series. The ninth began with reliever Leury Tejada striking out both Hedbert Perez and Jesus Chirinos, but continued with Jheremy Vargas reaching on a single to right. An error in right allowed Vargas to reach second and allowed him to score on a double moments later by Zack Raabe. Abert Cipion followed with a walk and a single from Eduardo Garcia both scored Raabe and knocked Tejada out of the game.

The Wood Ducks were still up 6-4 with two outs in the ninth when Jackson Leath came in to replace Tejada. Leath (0-1, BS), however, would go on to allow Jackson Chourio to reach safely after botching a comebacker to the mound and committing a throwing error that load the bases. Mendez then followed with his walk-off grand slam to give the Mudcats the comeback victory.

The walk-off for Mendez was both Carolina’s second walk-off win of the season and their second grand slam of the year. The grand slam was also the second home run of the season for Mendez and his second hit of the game.

The Wood Ducks originally led 1-0 after getting a run in the second off Carolina starter Jeferson Figueroa. They added one more against reliever Miguel Segura in the fifth, but the Mudcats came back with three doubles and two runs off Down East starter Josh Stephan in that same fifth inning. Perez, Vargas and Raabe each had doubles in the two-run fifth for the Mudcats.

The game was tied at 2-2 going into the sixth, but Yosy Galan broke the tie to put Down East up 3-2 after connecting on a home run off Segura. The Wood Ducks then went up 6-2 after scoring twice in the eighth off Segura and Michele Vassalotti. The first of those three runs came on a bases loaded walk from Vassalotti, the other two scored on an error by Chirinos at first.

Carolina was down 6-2 through the eighth and Junior Montero would end up keeping that way while pitching around two walks and keeping the Wood Ducks scoreless in the ninth. Montero (3-0) also struck out one while earning the victory.

HOME RUNS:

Down East: Galan (6, 6th inning off Segura, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina: Mendez (2, 9th inning off Leath, 3 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Mendez, RF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 HR, 4 RBI

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

Raabe, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI

Cipion, DH (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B

Perez, LF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B

Mateo, CF (Down East): 2-for-3, 2 R

Paniagua, 3B (Down East): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI

Galan, DH (Down East): 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Figueroa (Carolina): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Montero (W, 3-0) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO

Stephan (Down East): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

SCORING:

Wood Ducks 2nd (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 0) -- Daniel Mateo singles to shallow right field. Daniel Mateo steals 2nd base. Ian Moller flies out to Hendry Mendez. Abimelec Ortiz flies out to Hedbert Perez. Junior Paniagua doubles to left field, Daniel Mateo scores. Jose Acosta pops out to Zack Raabe.

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

Wood Ducks 5th (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 0) -- Abimelec Ortiz flies out to Jackson Chourio. Junior Paniagua hits a ground rule double to left field. Jose Acosta strikes out swinging. Maximo Acosta singles to left-center field, Junior Paniagua scores. Maximo Acosta steals 2nd base. Marcus Smith walks. Maximo Acosta steals 3rd base. Jose Rodriguez flies out to Hedbert Perez.

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

Mudcats 5th (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 2) -- Hedbert Perez doubles to left-center field. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Maximo Acosta to Abimelec Ortiz. Jheremy Vargas doubles to left field, Hedbert Perez scores. Zack Raabe doubles to left field, Jheremy Vargas scores. Arbert Cipion struck out looking. Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging.

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

Wood Ducks 6th (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 2) -- Yosy Galan hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-1 pitch. Daniel Mateo walks. Ian Moller pops out to Eduardo Garcia. Daniel Mateo advances to 2nd on a balk. Abimelec Ortiz strikes out swinging. Junior Paniagua pops out to Eduardo Garcia.

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

Wood Ducks 8th (Wood Ducks 6, Mudcats 2) -- Jose Rodriguez flies out to Hedbert Perez. Yosy Galan walks. Daniel Mateo singles to left-center field, Yosy Galan to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Michele Vassalotti replaces Miguel Segura. Ian Moller hit by pitch, Yosy Galan to 3rd; Daniel Mateo to 2nd. Abimelec Ortiz walks, Yosy Galan scores; Daniel Mateo to 3rd; Ian Moller to 2nd. Junior Paniagua lines out to Jheremy Vargas. Jose Acosta reaches on fielding error by Jesus Chirinos, Daniel Mateo scores; Ian Moller scores; Abimelec Ortiz to 3rd. Jose Acosta steals 2nd base. Maximo Acosta pops out to Jesus Chirinos in foul territory.

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

Mudcats 9th (Mudcats 8, Wood Ducks 6) -- Hedbert Perez strikes out on foul tip. Jesus Chirinos struck out looking. Jheremy Vargas singles to right field, Jheremy Vargas advances to 2nd on fielding error by Jose Rodriguez. Zack Raabe doubles to right field, Jheremy Vargas scores. Arbert Cipion walks. Eduardo Garcia singles to center field, Zack Raabe scores; Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Jackson Leath replaces Leury Tejada. Jackson Chourio reaches on throwing error by Jackson Leath, Arbert Cipion to 3rd; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd.

(6 Runs, 4 Hits, 2 Errors, 0 LOB)