Micro Brews Rally For 7-6 Win

Down East 6 @ Carolina 7

July 22, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:02 PM | Att : 1,766 | T : 3:12

WP: Brendan Murphy (5 - 3) LP: Teodoro Ortega (2 - 1) SV: Cam Robinson (9)

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault Post-Game Interview

ZEBULON – Ernesto Martinez homered in the third, Gabe Holt and Felix Valerio both had two doubles and Cam Robinson earned his ninth save as the Mudcats, playing as the Carolina Micro Brews, came back from an early deficit to defeat the Wood Ducks 7-6 on Thursday night at Five County Stadium. Carolina scored six two-out runs in the series tying victory and totaled six stolen bases.

The Mudcats (42-27) fell behind early as the Wood Ducks (38-31) scored twice in both the first and second innings to take a 4-0 lead. That lead disappeared in the third and fourth innings as Carolina rallied for seven runs over those two frames while taking the lead. Six of those seven were scored with two outs in their respective innings; lifting Carolina’s overall two out run total to a MiLB best 195 this season.

Freddy Zamora drove in Carolina’s first run with one out in the third after he brought in Holt from second with a single away from the shift and into right. Martinez then followed with his two-out, two-run home run to make it a one-run game at 4-3. Zamora went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Holt went 2-for-5 with two runs and two doubles.

The fourth then saw the Mudcats rally for four straight two-out runs with Holt, Zamora, Ashton McGee, Valerio and Martinez all reaching base safely in consecutive order against reliever Teodoro Ortega. Holt started the rally with a two-out double and Zamora went on to bring him in to tie the game with his second run-scoring single of the night. McGee then walked and both Valerio and Martinez followed with doubles with Valerio’s scoring McGee and Martinez’s driving in Valerio.

Ortega (2-1, 3.94) allowed four runs in the fourth and one of the two runs in the third while taking the loss. In all, he gave up five runs on six hits over an inning and 1/3. Florencio Serrano started and gave up two runs on three hits over two and 2/3 innings. Later in the game, relievers Eudrys Manon and Jesus Linarez finished things off by combining for four scoreless fames and six strikeouts.

While six of Carolina’s seven total runs scored with two outs, three of Down East’s four runs came across on wild pitches. All three of those wild pitches were thrown by starter Abner Uribe.

Both first inning runs were scored by Jayce Easley and Luisangel Acuna and both came across on wild pitches as the Wood Ducks went up 2-0 in the first. Easley walked to start the game and Acuna reached on a two base throwing error by Uribe. Down East then added two more to up 4-0 in the second when a third wild pitch scored Thomas Saggese and a two-out RBI single from Jayce Easley scored Randy Florentino who had doubled earlier in the inning.

Uribe ended up leaving after giving up Easley’s run scoring hit and pitched through an inning and 2/3 overall. He finished also finished with two strikeouts, two walks and four runs allowed (two earned) on two hits.

Brendan Murphy followed Uribe again out of the bullpen and went on to earn the win after working through five innings pitched. Murphy (5-3, 5.40) totaled six strikeouts and allowed two runs on five hits while earning his second straight victory. He gave up a home run to Angel Aponte in the sixth, but left with the Mudcats leading 7-6.

Newly added reliever Nate Peden followed Murphy and ended up leaving an inherited runner on base in the seventh before pitching a scoreless eighth. He then handed things off to his former high school teammate in Robinson (S, 9) who closed things out to seal Carolina’s series tying victory. Peden (H, 1) struck out one and allowed one hit while facing five over an inning and a 1/3 in his Carolina debut. Robinson allowed a hit and struck out one as well in the ninth, but finished the game while getting his ninth save.

The series will continue on Friday night with game five of the seven game series beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. The series is tied 2-2 with Down East taking the first two and Carolina winning the most recent two games.

HOME RUNS:

Down East HR : Aponte (2, 6th inning off Murphy, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina HR : Martinez, E (9, 3rd inning off Ortega, T, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Aponte, CF (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

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

Florentino, C (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Acosta, SS (Down East): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Easley, RF (Down East): 2-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

Holt, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

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

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

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

Peden (H, 1) (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Robinson (S, 9) (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Manon (Down East): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

Linarez (Down East): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

SCORING:

Wood Ducks 1st (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 0) -- Jayce Easley walks. Luisangel Acuna reaches on throwing error by Abner Uribe, Jayce Easley to 3rd; Luisangel Acuna to 2nd. Dustin Harris strikes out swinging, Darrien Miller to Ernesto Martinez. Wild pitch by Abner Uribe, Jayce Easley scores; Luisangel Acuna to 3rd. Passed ball by Darrien Miller, Luisangel Acuna scores. Keyber Rodriguez grounds out, Freddy Zamora to Ernesto Martinez. Angel Aponte flies out to Michael Wilson.
(2 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 2nd (Wood Ducks 4, Mudcats 0) -- Alejandro Osuna struck out looking. Thomas Saggese walks. Thomas Saggese steals 2nd base. Wild pitch by Abner Uribe, Thomas Saggese to 3rd. Wild pitch by Abner Uribe, Thomas Saggese scores. Randy Florentino doubles to right-center field. Jose Acosta grounds out, Freddy Zamora to Ernesto Martinez, Randy Florentino to 3rd. Jayce Easley singles to left-center field, Randy Florentino scores. Pitcher Change: Brendan Murphy replaces Abner Uribe. Jayce Easley steals 2nd base. Luisangel Acuna flies out to Michael Wilson.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Wood Ducks 4, Mudcats 3) -- Gabe Holt doubles to right field. Freddy Zamora singles up the middle, Gabe Holt scores. Ashton McGee flies out to Alejandro Osuna. Freddy Zamora caught stealing 2nd base, Florencio Serrano to Thomas Saggese. Felix Valerio hit by pitch. Pitcher Change: Teodoro Ortega replaces Florencio Serrano. Felix Valerio steals 2nd base. Ernesto Martinez hits a home run to right field on a 2-2 pitch, Felix Valerio scores. Joey Wiemer singles to deep shortstop. Joey Wiemer steals 2nd base. Darrien Miller struck out looking.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 7, Wood Ducks 4) -- Defensive Substitution: Cristian Inoa replaces first baseman Dustin Harris, batting 3rd, playing 1st. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging. Michael Wilson pops out to Keyber Rodriguez. Gabe Holt doubles to left field. Freddy Zamora singles through the hole at second base, Gabe Holt scores. Freddy Zamora steals 2nd base. Ashton McGee walks. Wild pitch by Teodoro Ortega, Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Felix Valerio doubles to left field, Freddy Zamora scores; Ashton McGee scores. Felix Valerio steals 3rd base. Ernesto Martinez doubles through the hole at shortstop, Felix Valerio scores. Ernesto Martinez steals 3rd base. Joey Wiemer strikes out swinging, Randy Florentino to Cristian Inoa.
(4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 6th (Mudcats 7, Wood Ducks 5) -- Angel Aponte hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch. Alejandro Osuna flies out to Andre Nnebe. Thomas Saggese strikes out on foul tip. Randy Florentino strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Mudcats 7, Wood Ducks 6) -- Jose Acosta doubles through the hole at shortstop. Jayce Easley out on a sacrifice bunt, Brendan Murphy to Ernesto Martinez, Jose Acosta to 3rd. Luisangel Acuna strikes out swinging. Cristian Inoa singles to center field, Jose Acosta scores. Pitcher Change: Nate Peden replaces Brendan Murphy. Keyber Rodriguez strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)