Mendez Hits Leadoff Blast in 3-1 Carolina Victory 

Down East 1 @ Carolina 3

July 23, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 4:58 PM | Att : 2,134 | T : 2:24

DE: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 9 0

CAR: 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 x 3 5 0

WP: Edwin Jimenez (3 - 4) LP: Josh Stephan (4 - 3) SV: Ryan Middendorf (1)

ZEBULON – Hendry Mendez started the game with a leadoff home run, Alberis Ferrer followed with a RBI triple later in the first, and Jose Sibrian came through with a RBI double in the eighth as the Carolina Mudcats (10-13, 44-45) earned a series tying 3-1 victory versus the Down East Wood Ducks (13-9, 46-42) on Saturday evening at Five County Stadium.

Mendez went 2-for-3 with his leadoff homer and a double in the seventh. His first inning blast extended his hit streak to 12 straight games and gave the Mudcats the immediate lead. Ferrer went 1-for-3 with his lone hit being his two-out RBI triple in the first that put Carolina up 2-0.

Both early runs came in support of starter Edwin Jimenez who pitched through five and 2/3 scoreless with five strikeouts while earning the victory. Jimenez (3-4) scattered six hits and walked two while reaching a season high 90 pitches in his near quality start.

Michele Vassalotti, Miguel Segura and Ryan Middendorf followed Jimenez with Vassalotti inheriting two and leaving three men on in the sixth. Segura allowing a home run in the eighth and Middendorf (S, 1) working a scoreless ninth to earn his first save.

Marcus Smith drove in, and scored, the only run of the game for Down East as he connected on a solo home run off Segura to start the eighth. The home run came on the very first pitch of the eighth and was Smith’s fifth of the year. Of his five homers, four have come at Five County Stadium against the Mudcats.

Josh Stephan started and allowed two runs and three hits in the first, before holding Carolina without a hit from the second through the fifth. Jose Corniell took over in the sixth and worked around two walks over his scoreless inning. Kai-Noa Wynyard pitched the final two frames with just one run allowed on two hits. His lone run given up came on Sibrian’s two-out double in the eighth. Wynyard also struck out five over his two innings pitched.

The victory lifted the Mudcats into a 1-1 tie in the series and into an 12-11 lead in the overall season series between the two teams. The series will conclude on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. with Carlos Rodriguez starting for the Mudcats at Five County Stadium.

HOME RUNS:

Down East: Smith, M (5, 8th inning off Segura, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina: Mendez (4, 1st inning off Stephan, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

Sibrian, C (Carolina): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

Smith, M, DH (Down East): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Osuna, A, CF (Down East): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Hicks, C (Down East): 2-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Jimenez (W, 3-4) (Carolina): 5.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Vassalotti (H, 2) (Carolina): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

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

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

Stephan (L, 4-3) (Down East): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO

Corniell (Down East): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

Wynyard (Down East): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Wood Ducks 0) -- Hendry Mendez hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Jackson Chourio doubles to right-center field. Oswal Leones grounds out, Maximo Acosta to Miguel Villarroel, Jackson Chourio to 3rd. Jesus Chirinos reaches on a fielder's choice out, Maximo Acosta to Liam Hicks, Jackson Chourio out at home. Alberis Ferrer triples to left-center field, Jesus Chirinos scores. Jean Carmona strikes out swinging.

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

Wood Ducks 8th (Mudcats 2, Wood Ducks 1) -- Marcus Smith hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Alejandro Osuna grounds out, Jean Carmona to Jesus Chirinos. Cameron Cauley grounds out, Miguel Segura to Jesus Chirinos. Yosy Galan flies out to Oswal Leones.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 3, Wood Ducks 1) -- Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging. Alberis Ferrer hit by pitch. Alberis Ferrer steals 2nd base. Jean Carmona strikes out swinging. Jose Sibrian doubles to right-center field, Alberis Ferrer scores. Luis Silva grounds out, Yenci Pena to Abimelec Ortiz.

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