Miller Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam in Extras

Delmarva 4 @ Carolina 8 (10)

September 05, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:02 PM | Att : 1,484 | T : 3:37

DEL: 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 4 12 4

CAR: 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 8 8 1

WP: James Meeker (1 - 0) LP: Thomas Girard (2 - 2)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Darrien Miller hit a walk-off grand slam in the tenth to lead the Mudcats to an 8-4 series finale victory versus the Delmarva Shorebirds on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium. The grand slam was Miller’s second of the series and Carolina’s tenth of the season. It was also Miller’s fourth home run in his last three games.

Miller batted just twice in the game for the Mudcats (63-45) as he originally came in as a pinch-hitter for Tyler Black in the eighth. Black left the game after being struck in the hand by a pitch in the seventh. Miller ended up walking his first time up, but then delivered the game winning home run to break a 4-4 tie in the tenth while leading Carolina to its second victory in the six-game series.

Thomas Girard took the loss for the Shorebirds (61-47) after allowing Miller’s grand slam and walking a batter in the tenth. Girard (2-2, 5.20) also struck out one and saw a runner reach on an error in the tenth, thus making all four of his runs allowed unearned.

James Meeker (1-0, 0.00) earned the win for Carolina after holding the Shorebirds scoreless over two and 1/3 innings pitched. The victory was Meeker’s first since joining the Mudcats and his first in affiliated professional baseball. Meeker worked the end of the eighth and through the tenth while following Miguel Guerrero who had pitched through inning and 2/3 without allowing a run.

Carolina was down late in the game as they trailed 4-2 in the seventh before getting one across against reliever Justin Armbruester to cut the deficit to one. They then tied the game with a run in the eighth against reliever Leonardo Rodriguez. The eighth inning run came across on a balk and the game-tying run scored on a groundout from Noah Campbell.

The Mudcats did originally lead in the game after scoring first on a RBI double from Alex Binelas in the third. Binelas went 3-for-5 in the game with his double putting Carolina up 1-0 in the third. The Shorebirds came back with game-tying sac fly in the fourth, but Carolina answered with another run in the fourth when Ethan Murray reached and scored on an error. Carolina’s 2-1 lead disappeared in the fifth though when Logan Michaels brought in John Rhodes with a RBI single. The Shorebirds then later took their 4-2 lead on a two-run single from Rhodes in the sixth.

Brailin Rodriguez started for Carolina and worked through three before leaving with the bases loaded in the fourth. Brendan Murphy followed and managed to escape the inning with just one inherited runner allowed in. Rodriguez ended up allowing just the one run on three hits over three plus innings. He also walked three and struck out two in his Carolina debut. Murphy pitched through two innings with a walk, three strikeouts, three hits and one run allowed in relief.

Despite the victory, Carolina remained one game back of Down East in the Central division standings. Carolina's final homestand of the season begins on Tuesday and will include six games versus Down East.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Miller, D (7, 10th inning off Girard, 3 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Miller, D, PH-DH (Carolina): 1-for-1, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Binelas, 3B (Carolina): 3-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

Rhodes, RF (Delmarva): 3-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Williams, LF (Delmarva): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Michaels, C (Delmarva): 2-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Hernaiz, 3B (Delmarva): 1-for-6, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

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

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

Guerrero (Carolina): 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

Meeker (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Blach (Delmarva): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Bishop (Delmarva): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

Roth (Delmarva): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Armbruester (H, 1) (Delmarva): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Rodriguez, L (BS, 1) (Delmarva): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 1, Shorebirds 0) -- Noah Campbell struck out looking. Zack Raabe singles to deep shortstop. Zack Raabe caught stealing 2nd base, Logan Michaels to Collin Burns. Tyler Black hit by pitch. Alex Binelas doubles to center field, Tyler Black scores. Micah Bello strikes out swinging.

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

Shorebirds 4th (Shorebirds 1, Mudcats 1) -- Donta' Williams walks. Billy Cook hit by pitch, Donta' Williams to 2nd. Logan Michaels singles to center field, Donta' Williams to 3rd; Billy Cook to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Brendan Murphy replaces Brailin Rodriguez. Reed Trimble out on a sacrifice fly to Noah Campbell, Donta' Williams scores. Darell Hernaiz strikes out swinging, Billy Cook steals 3rd base, Logan Michaels steals 2nd base. Collin Burns walks. Connor Norby flies out to Hedbert Perez.

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

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 2, Shorebirds 1) -- Pitcher Change: Houston Roth replaces Cameron Bishop. Wes Clarke walks. Ethan Murray grounds into a force out, Collin Burns to Connor Norby, Wes Clarke out at 2nd. Hedbert Perez grounds out to Jacob Teter. throwing error by Jacob Teter. Jose Sibrian reaches on fielding error by Collin Burns, Ethan Murray scores. Noah Campbell singles through the hole at second base, Jose Sibrian to 3rd. Zack Raabe pops out to Connor Norby.

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

Shorebirds 5th (Shorebirds 2, Mudcats 2) -- Jacob Teter strikes out swinging. John Rhodes singles to deep shortstop. Donta' Williams singles to right-center field, John Rhodes to 2nd. Billy Cook strikes out on foul tip. Logan Michaels singles to right-center field, John Rhodes scores; Donta' Williams to 3rd. Reed Trimble grounds into a force out, Zack Raabe to Ethan Murray, Logan Michaels out at 2nd.

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

Shorebirds 6th (Shorebirds 4, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Christian Tripp replaces Brendan Murphy. Darell Hernaiz singles to left-center field. Darell Hernaiz steals 2nd base. Wild pitch by Christian Tripp, Darell Hernaiz to 3rd. Collin Burns walks. Connor Norby strikes out swinging. Collin Burns steals 2nd base. Jacob Teter flies out to Micah Bello. John Rhodes singles to center field, Darell Hernaiz scores; Collin Burns scores. Donta' Williams singles to left-center field, John Rhodes to 3rd. Billy Cook strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 7th (Shorebirds 4, Mudcats 3) -- Pitcher Change: Justin Armbruester replaces Houston Roth. Noah Campbell strikes out swinging. Zack Raabe walks. Tyler Black hit by pitch, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Alex Binelas singles to right field, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Tyler Black to 2nd. Zack Raabe scores on a balk; Tyler Black advances to 3rd on a balk; Alex Binelas advances to 2nd on a balk. Micah Bello pops out to Jacob Teter in foul territory. Wes Clarke strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 8th (Shorebirds 4, Mudcats 4) -- Pitcher Change: Leonardo Rodriguez replaces Justin Armbruester. Ethan Murray hit by pitch. Hedbert Perez flies out to John Rhodes. Jose Sibrian singles to right-center field, Ethan Murray to 3rd. Noah Campbell grounds into a force out, Jacob Teter to Collin Burns, Ethan Murray scores; Jose Sibrian out at 2nd. Noah Campbell steals 2nd base. Zack Raabe walks. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Darrien Miller replaces Tyler Black. Darrien Miller walks, Noah Campbell to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Alex Binelas pops out to Darell Hernaiz in foul territory.

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

Mudcats 10th (Mudcats 8, Shorebirds 4) -- Ethan Murray starts inning at 2nd base. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Jose Sibrian reaches on throwing error by Darell Hernaiz. Noah Campbell grounds out, Darell Hernaiz to Jacob Teter, Ethan Murray to 3rd; Jose Sibrian to 2nd. Zack Raabe walks. Darrien Miller hits a grand slam to right field on a 1-0 pitch, Ethan Murray scores; Jose Sibrian scores; Zack Raabe scores.

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