Mudcats Brew Up Third Straight Win Again 12-6

ZEBULON – Gabe Holt, Ernesto Martinez, Alex Hall and Ashton McGee each had three hits and Felix Valerio drove in three runs with two doubles as the Mudcats, playing as the Micro Brews, won their third straight 12-6 versus Kannapolis on Thursday night at Five County Stadium. Brandon Knarr started and earned his first victory of the season.

Carolina trailed 1-0 going into their half of the second, but would go on to tie it after Alex Hall tripled and scored on a throwing error by fellow catcher Victor Torres. The Micro Brews went on to break the 1-1 tie with a five run third and then extended the lead to 8-2 with a two run fourth.

Carolina’s five run third started five straight hits, including a leadoff single from Holt and a single from two-hole hitter Noah Campbell. Joe Gray Jr., Martinez and Felix Valerio followed with consecutive RBI doubles.

Holt, Campbell, Gray, Martinez and Valerio all had hits and all scored runs in the third. Gray and Martinez also scored runs in the fourth, on a wild pitch and balk respectively, as the Mudcats went up 8-2 after the fourth. They also added one more in the fifth on a RBI single from Holt to make it 9-2.

Kannapolis did cut into the Carolina lead with runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh while making it 9-6, but Carolina broke it open late with three run eighth after getting a RBI single from Hall and a two-run double from Valerio.

Valerio finished the game with 2-for-5 with two runs, two doubles and three RBI. Hall went 3-for-5 with two runs, at triple and one RBI. Holt went 3-for-6 while extended his hitting streak to seven straight. Martinez and McGee also had three hits in the game. Martinez additionally scored three runs and had a double in the game. Gray scored three runs as well and went 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Yoelvin Silven started for Kannapolis and took the loss after six runs on nine hits over two and 1/3 innings. Silven (0-3, 8.56) also struck out four and did not issue a walk in the loss. He was also one of five pitchers in the game as Bailey Horn, Jordan Mikel, Garvin Alston and Tyson Messer also appeared for the Cannon Ballers.

Brandon Knarr started and allowed one earned run and three total on five hits over five innings for the Mudcats. Knarr (1-0, 3.86) also struck out four and walked one while earning his first victory.

Peyton Long followed Knarr and went on to give up three runs and two homers over an inning and 1/3, but Kent Hasler and Jackson Gillis went on to provide three scoreless frames to finish the game. Hasler struck out two over and inning and 2/3 scoreless and earned his first hold.

The victory was Carolina’s third straight and put them up three games to none in the six-series.

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HOME RUNS:
Kannapolis: Delgado (2, 6th inning off Long, 0 on, 1 out); Weaver (2, 7th inning off Long, 1 on, 1 out)

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Weaver, CF (Kannapolis): 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Delgado, 2B (Kannapolis): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Laureano, RF (Kannapolis): 1-for-2, 2 R
Holt, DH (Carolina): 3-for-6, 1 R, 1 RBI
Gray Jr., RF (Carolina): 1-for-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 3-for-5, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Valerio, F, SS (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI
Hall, A, C (Carolina): 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI
McGee, 3B (Carolina): 3-for-4, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Knarr (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Hasler (H, 1) (Carolina): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Gillis (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Mikel (Kannapolis): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Messer (Kannapolis): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

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SCORING SUMMARY:

Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Caberea Weaver singles through the hole at shortstop. Tyler Osik grounds out, Brandon Knarr to Ernesto Martinez, Caberea Weaver to 2nd. Jose Rodriguez flies out to Arbert Cipion. Bryan Ramos singles to shallow left field, Caberea Weaver to 3rd. Wild pitch by Brandon Knarr, Caberea Weaver scores; Bryan Ramos to 2nd. Lency Delgado strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Cannon Ballers 1, Mudcats 1) -- Felix Valerio flies out to Benyamin Bailey. Alex Hall triples to center field. Throwing error by Victor Torres on the pickoff attempt, Alex Hall scores. Ashton McGee singles up the middle. Andre Nnebe struck out looking. Arbert Cipion struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 6, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Gabe Holt singles to left-center field. Wild pitch by Yoelvin Silven, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Noah Campbell singles to shallow right field, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Joe Gray Jr. doubles to left field, Gabe Holt scores; Noah Campbell scores; Joe Gray Jr. advances to 3rd on fielding error by Benyamin Bailey. Ernesto Martinez doubles to center field, Joe Gray Jr. scores. Felix Valerio doubles to left field, Ernesto Martinez scores. Alex Hall grounds out to Tyler Osik, Felix Valerio to 3rd. Ashton McGee singles to center field, Felix Valerio scores. Pitcher Change: Bailey Horn replaces Yoelvin Silven. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging.
(5 Runs, 6 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 4th (Mudcats 6, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Jose Rodriguez reaches on fielding error by Ernesto Martinez. Bryan Ramos singles to deep shortstop, Jose Rodriguez to 2nd. Lency Delgado strikes out swinging. Jose Rodriguez steals 3rd base, Bryan Ramos steals 2nd base. AJ Gill walks. Wild pitch by Brandon Knarr, Jose Rodriguez scores; Bryan Ramos to 3rd; AJ Gill to 2nd. Benyamin Bailey strikes out swinging. Victor Torres pops out to Ernesto Martinez in foul territory.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 2) -- Gabe Holt struck out looking. Noah Campbell strikes out swinging. Joe Gray Jr. walks. Ernesto Martinez singles to shallow right field, Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd. Ernesto Martinez steals 2nd base, Joe Gray Jr. scores;wild pitch by Bailey Horn. Passed ball by Victor Torres, Ernesto Martinez to 3rd. Felix Valerio strikes out swinging, Victor Torres to Tyler Osik.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 5th (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Johnabiell Laureano singles to left field. Caberea Weaver singles to left-center field, fielding error by Andre Nnebe.Caberea Weaver out at 2nd on the throw, Andre Nnebe to Noah Campbell. Tyler Osik grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ernesto Martinez, Johnabiell Laureano scores. Jose Rodriguez flies out to Joe Gray Jr.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Alex Hall singles up the middle. Ashton McGee struck out looking. Pitcher Change: Jordan Mikel replaces Bailey Horn. Andre Nnebe walks, Alex Hall to 2nd. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging. Gabe Holt singles to center field, Alex Hall scores; Andre Nnebe to 3rd. Wild pitch by Jordan Mikel, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Noah Campbell grounds out, Lency Delgado to Tyler Osik.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 6th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 4) -- Pitcher Change: Peyton Long replaces Brandon Knarr. Bryan Ramos strikes out swinging. Lency Delgado hits a home run to right field on a 1-1 pitch. AJ Gill flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Benyamin Bailey strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 7th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 6) -- Victor Torres grounds out, Ernesto Martinez to Peyton Long. Johnabiell Laureano walks. Caberea Weaver hits a home run to left field on a 3-1 pitch, Johnabiell Laureano scores. Tyler Osik singles through the hole at shortstop. Pitcher Change: Kent Hasler replaces Peyton Long. Jose Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Bryan Ramos grounds into a force out, Felix Valerio to Noah Campbell, Tyler Osik out at 2nd.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 12, Cannon Ballers 6) -- Noah Campbell walks. Noah Campbell picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, Garvin Alston to Tyler Osik to Lency Delgado. Joe Gray Jr. walks. Ernesto Martinez singles to left-center field, Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd. Felix Valerio doubles to left-center field, Joe Gray Jr. scores; Ernesto Martinez scores. Pitcher Change: Tyson Messer replaces Garvin Alston. Felix Valerio steals 3rd base. Alex Hall singles to center field, Felix Valerio scores. Ashton McGee singles to shallow left field, Alex Hall to 2nd. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion walks, Alex Hall to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Gabe Holt struck out looking.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)