Mudcats Blanked Again, 2-0 in Kinston

Carolina 0 @ Down East 2

April 30, 2022 | Venue : Grainger Stadium | First pitch : 5:00 PM | Att : 1,823 | T : 2:01

CAR: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3

DE: 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 x 2 4 0

WP: Larson Kindreich (1 - 0) LP: Alexander Cornielle (0 - 3)

KINSTON – Alexander Cornielle struck out four and allowed just two unearned runs over five innings pitched, but Down East pitchers Mitch Bratt and Larson Kindreich combined on a two-hit shutout as the Carolina Mudcats fell to the Wood Ducks 2-0 on Saturday night at Grainger Stadium in Kinston. The Wood Ducks scored two unearned runs in the third while shutting out the Mudcats for the second time in the series.

The Mudcats (10-10) were held to just two hits in the loss and suffered their second shutout loss in their last five games. Carolina’s first hit came in the third from Oswal Leones. The second was from Hedbert Perez in the seventh.

The Wood Ducks (9-11) scored both of their runs in the third and did so with help of two Carolina errors. The first of those errors came at the start of the inning when Yenci Pena reached on a throwing error by Jheremy Vargas. Pena later scored on a RBI single from Tucker Mitchell to give Down East a 1-0 lead. Maximo Acosta, who walked before Mitchell’s single, went on to score on a botched caught steal and throwing error from Jeferson Quero.

Carolina’s two errors in the Down East third made both runs unearned to Cornielle (0-3). Carolina’s starter ended up with the tough luck loss after going through five full frames with two unearned runs, four strikeouts and just four hits allowed. Cornielle did walk five though, with one of those coming across to score in the third.

Bratt, who was added to the Down East roster before the game, started and held the Mudcats to just one hit over three scoreless frames. He also walked one and struck out four before reaching 39 pitches (28 strikes).

Kindreich (1-0) started and earned the win after tossing six scoreless frames in relief of Bratt. Kindreich struck out six, walked one and allowed just on hit while stifling the Carolina offense over his 91 pitch (53 strikes) outing.

Saturday’s game was the fifth of six in the series. Carolina leads the series 3-2 going into Sunday’s finale at Grainger Stadium.

Saturday’s game was also played in just 2 hours and one minute (2:01), making it the fastest nine-inning from the Mudcats this season.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Mitchell, DH (Down East): 1-for-2, 1 RBI

Osuna, A, RF (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 R

Narvaez, C (Down East): 1-for-3

Perez, CF (Carolina): 1-for-2

Leones, DH (Carolina): 1-for-3

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Cornielle (L, 0-3) (Carolina): 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 4 SO

Vassalotti (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

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

Bratt (Down East): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

Kindreich (W, 1-0) (Down East): 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

SCORING:

Wood Ducks 3rd (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 0) -- Yenci Pena reaches on throwing error by Jheremy Vargas. Alejandro Osuna grounds into a force out, Alexander Cornielle to Jheremy Vargas, Yenci Pena out at 2nd. Efrenyer Narvaez strikes out swinging. Maximo Acosta walks, Alejandro Osuna to 2nd. Tucker Mitchell singles to left-center field, Alejandro Osuna scores; Maximo Acosta scores; Tucker Mitchell to 2nd; throwing error by Jeferson Quero. Yosy Galan strikes out swinging.

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