Mudcats Allow Nine Extra-Base Hits in 9-3 Loss to Wood Ducks

ZEBULON, N.C. - The Wood Ducks collected six doubles, a triple and two home runs while totaling 15 hits during a 9-3 series finale victory against the Mudcats on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium. The Mudcats came up a game shy of the sweep with the loss, but ended up with a series victory after taking two of the three from Down East.

The Wood Ducks (15-15) jumped on the board early after getting four runs across in the opening frame against starter Nathan Kirby and the Mudcats (14-16). Kirby (0-2, 7.11) started things by walking lead-off man Leody Taveras before then giving up a single to Anderson Tejeda. Kirby, after getting a ground-out, then gave up back-to-back run scoring doubles to Leblanc and Cordero. In all, the Wood Ducks totaled four runs on three hits in the opening frame while taking a 4-0 lead in the first.
Leblanc ended up going 4-for-4 in the game with three runs, a double and a solo home run. He also walked once and reached base safely in all five plate appearances for Down East. Cordero also had a near perfect day at the plate after going 3-for-4 with four RBI. Blaine Prescott, meanwhile, went 2-for-5 with a home run in the seventh for the Woodies.
In all, Down East totaled 15 hits in Sunday's game, including six doubles, a triple and two home runs. They got doubles from Leblanc, Cordero (2), Brenden Davis, Prescott and Anderson Tejeda. Tavares had the lone triple of the game and both Leblanc and Prescott hit home runs as the Wood Ducks salvaged a win in the series.
Kirby did not return for the second and ended up allowing four runs and three hits in just one inning while taking the loss. He also struck out one and reached 34 pitches in the first before leaving the game. 
Carolina trailed 4-0 after the first, but came back with two runs in the second on three straight two-out hits from Luis Aviles Jr. Jr., Mitch Ghelfi and Rob Henry. Aviles started the rally with a double, before scoring on a RBI single from Ghelfi. Henry then followed with his first hit of the season to score Ghelfi from second as the Mudcats cut the lead to 4-2.
Christian Torres allowed both Carolina runs in the second, but finished with the win as he held Carolina scoreless over the remainder of his start. Torres (2-2, 3.67) struck out five, walked one and allowed two runs on six hits over five innings while earning the victory. He was later followed by relievers Cole Wiper (3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 SO) and C.D. Pelham (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R) who combined to hold the Mudcats to just one unearned run and three hits from the sixth through the end of the game.
Reliever Chase Williams, meanwhile, took over for Kirby in the second and went on to allow Leblanc's homer in the third before exiting the game. Victor Diaz then entered the game and went on to work through the next four and 1/3 innings out of the Carolina pen. The Wood Ducks struck for two runs against him in the fourth and later scored once more in both the sixth and seventh as they had a 9-2 lead after the seventh.
Daniel Brown eventually relieved Diaz in the seventh and ended up stranding two inherited runners while throwing just one pitch in the seventh. He then came back out for the eighth and ninth and finished two and 1/3 scoreless frames for the Mudcats. He also gave up two hits, struck out one and finished without a walk for the second straight appearance.
The Mudcats scored their final run of the game in the eighth after Aviles brought in Dallas Carroll with a two-out RBI single off Wiper. Aviles went 2-for-4 in the game with a run and one RBI. Carroll scored once and went 2-for-4 and Keston Hiura finished 1-for-5 with a double.
Carolina ended up winning two of three in the series and will next take to the road to play the Buies Creek Astros on Monday night at Jim Perry Stadium at Campbell University. LHP Cam Roegner (2-1, 1.35) is scheduled to start for the Mudcats in Monday's series opener against the Astros. Monday's game is the first of three straight road games for the Mudcats. Their next home game will be on Thursday, May 10 against Wilmington. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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