Mudcats collect just two hits while squeaking out a 2-1 road win in Kinston

KINSTON, N.C. - A two run Carolina first proved to be enough on Saturday as the combined efforts of starter Noah Zavolas and relievers Michael Petersen, Matt Hardy and Rodrigo Benoit limited the Wood Ducks to just one run as the Mudcats defeated Down East 2-1 at Grainger Stadium.

The Mudcats (2-1) managed just two hits in Saturday's road win, but ended up limiting the Wood Ducks (1-2) to just the one run on eight hits while earning their second straight victory. Carolina scored both of its runs in the first and led from start to finish while earning the win and taking a two games to one lead in the four game series.
Both of Carolina's early first inning runs came across to score without aid of a hit as Down East's starter A.J. Alexy began Saturday's game by walking Joantgel Segovia, hitting Eddie Silva with a pitch and then walking Tristen Lutz to load the bases. Alexy (0-1, 5.40) then struck out Payton Henry, but then walked Mario Feliciano with the bags full to force in the first run of the game. Ryan Aguilar later brought in the second run after beating out a potential double play ball and reaching on a force.
The Wood Ducks answered with a two-out run in their half of the first, but Carolina's two run rally to start the game proved to be enough as Zavolas (1-0, 1.80) held the first inning lead en route to the wire-to-wire victory. Zavolas allowed just one run and scattered six hits while earning the victory in his first start of his young professional career. The victory also came in his first game as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers farm system. 
Petersen (H, 1) took over for Zavolas in the sixth and struck out three straight while facing the heart of the Down East lineup. He returned for the seventh, but quickly found trouble after allowing back-to-back hits to start the frame. Petersen went on to fall into a bases loaded, one-out jam and left the game. 
Hardy (H, 1) followed Petersen and would go on to leave the bags full while holding the Wood Ducks scoreless in the seventh. Hardy then returned for the eighth and ended up striking out the side and finished his second appearance of the season with four strikeouts over an inning and 2/3 scoreless.
Benoit (S, 1) later came in for the ninth and retired three straight while striking out two to earn the save in his first appearance of the new season.
The Mudcats managed just two hits in the road victory, with the first coming in the third from Eddie Silva. Their second was an eighth inning double from Joantgel Segovia off reliever Josh Advocate. 
Alexy started for the Wood Ducks and worked into the fourth before leaving the game with two runs allowed, three walks and four strikeouts. Francisco Villegas took over in the fourth and went on to retire nine straight, with help of five strikeouts, before issuing a walk and leaving in the seventh. Advocate followed and allowed a hit and struck out one over an inning and 2/3. Demarcus Evans worked the ninth for Down East and struck out the side in his first appearance of the season.
UP NEXT: Carolina's season opening series in Kinston against the Wood Ducks will conclude on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Grainger Stadium. The Mudcats lead the series 2-1 and will look for the overall series victory with RHP Dylan File (0-0, -.--) set to make his first start of the 2019 season. The Wood Ducks will go with starter RHP Reid Anderson (0-0, -.--) in Sunday's series finale. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online via carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio and the First Pitch mobile app.
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