Mudcats Brew Up Third Straight Win 12-2

ZEBULON – Gabe Holt, Micah Bello and Freddy Zamora each drove in three runs and each had two hits while leading the Mudcats – playing as the Carolina Micro Brews – to a 12-2 victory over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Thursday night at Five County Stadium. Starter TJ Hook struck out nine in his victorious professional debut, while Brendan Murphy followed with seven strikeouts over three scoreless in relief.

The Mudcats (3-0) totaled 12 runs on nine hits and 10 walks while winning their third straight game. Fayetteville (0-3) was held to just two runs on five hits and struck out 16 times in the loss. The double-digit strikeout performance was Carolina’s third straight as Shook (1-0) struck out nine and Murphy (H, 1) struck out seven. Starter Christian Mejias allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over three innings in the loss for Fayetteville.

Holt walked and scored a run in the first, had a RBI single and scored again in the third, collected another RBI single in the fourth and later walked and scored again in the seventh. Like Holt in the leadoff spot, ninth-place hitter Felix Valerio also scored three runs in the game. Valerio went 2-for-3 with three runs and Holt finished 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI and two walks. Valerio’s runs came in the third, fourth and sixth innings.

Bello’s first of three run scoring hits came in the first when he drove in Holt from second with a RBI double. Bello struck again with a run-scoring single that capped a three-run Carolina third. Zamora, meanwhile, had a RBI double in the third, a run scoring single in the sixth and forced in a run with a bases loaded walk in the seventh. The Carolina seventh featured five walks, including three with the bases loaded.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 3 R, 3 RBI
Valerio, F, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 3 R
Zamora, SS (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI
Bello, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 3 RBI
Barefoot, RF (Fayetteville): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Correa, 1B (Fayetteville): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Shook (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO
Murphy (H, 1) (Carolina): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
Gillis (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Holcomb (Fayetteville): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

SCORING PLAYS:
Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Woodpeckers 0) -- Gabe Holt walks. Passed ball by Juan Paulino, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging. Freddy Zamora flies out to Matthew Barefoot. Micah Bello doubles to left field, Gabe Holt scores. Joe Gray Jr. grounds out, Shay Whitcomb to J.C. Correa.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 0) -- Felix Valerio singles to center field. Gabe Holt singles through the hole at second base, Felix Valerio scores. Arbert Cipion struck out looking. Freddy Zamora doubles to center field, Gabe Holt scores. Micah Bello singles to left field, Freddy Zamora scores. Joe Gray Jr. grounds into a force out, Shay Whitcomb to Ronaldo Urdaneta, Micah Bello out at 2nd. Passed ball by Juan Paulino, Joe Gray Jr. to 2nd. Noah Campbell lines out to Matthew Barefoot.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 4th (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 2) -- J.C. Correa walks. Nerio Rodriguez walks, J.C. Correa to 2nd. Wild pitch by TJ Shook, J.C. Correa to 3rd; Nerio Rodriguez to 2nd. Shay Whitcomb strikes out swinging. Zach Daniels strikes out swinging. Matthew Barefoot doubles to left-center field, J.C. Correa scores; Nerio Rodriguez scores. Juan Paulino struck out looking.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 7, Woodpeckers 2) -- Zavier Warren doubles through the hole at second base. Darrien Miller walks. Felix Valerio singles to right field, Zavier Warren to 3rd; Darrien Miller to 2nd. Passed ball by Juan Paulino, Zavier Warren scores; Darrien Miller to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Gabe Holt singles to center field, Darrien Miller scores; Felix Valerio to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Kevin Holcomb replaces Christian Mejias. Arbert Cipion strikes out on foul tip. Wild pitch by Kevin Holcomb, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Freddy Zamora walks. Micah Bello out on a sacrifice fly to Zach Daniels, Felix Valerio scores. Joe Gray Jr. struck out looking.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 8, Woodpeckers 2) -- Pitcher Change: Brayan De Paula replaces Kevin Holcomb. Felix Valerio walks. Gabe Holt strikes out swinging, Felix Valerio to 2nd;wild pitch by Brayan De Paula. Arbert Cipion struck out looking. Freddy Zamora singles to center field, Felix Valerio scores. Micah Bello flies out to Zach Daniels.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 12, Woodpeckers 2) -- Joe Gray Jr. reaches on fielding error by Joe Perez. Passed ball by Juan Paulino, Joe Gray Jr. to 2nd. Noah Campbell walks. Zavier Warren grounds out, Brayan De Paula to J.C. Correa, Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Darrien Miller walks. Felix Valerio flies out to Matthew Barefoot. Gabe Holt walks, Joe Gray Jr. scores; Noah Campbell to 3rd; Darrien Miller to 2nd. Arbert Cipion walks, Noah Campbell scores; Darrien Miller to 3rd; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Ernesto Jaquez replaces Brayan De Paula. Freddy Zamora walks, Darrien Miller scores; Gabe Holt to 3rd; Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Wild pitch by Ernesto Jaquez, Gabe Holt scores; Arbert Cipion to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Micah Bello flies out to Matthew Barefoot.
(4 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)