Mudcats Drop Third Straight 8-3 in Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG – Micah Bello and Jesus Chrinos both had RBI doubles in the first, but the Fredericksburg Nationals broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth with six runs in the fifth while defeating the Carolina Mudcats 8-3. The loss was Carolina’s third straight and clinched a series victory for the FredNats.

The Mudcats (4-4) led 2-0 after the first, but the Nationals (6-2) answered with an unearned run in the second before tying the game with a home run from Sammy Infante in the fourth. The home run was Infante’s second in as many games and third of the season.

The game was locked at 2-2 after the fourth, but the Nationals went on to rally for six runs and six hits in the fifth while running away with an 8-2 lead. Brady House sparked that rally with a RBI single, while Leandro Emiliani kept it going with a two-run home run. Jake Sullivan and Yoander Rivero also had RBI doubles in the six-run Fredericksburg fifth.

Carolina’s starter Israel Puello was on the mound for the Mudcats to start the fifth, but would leave the game after allowing a one-out double to Jeremy De La Rosa. Reliever Trevor Tietz followed and would give up House’s go-ahead single. Tietz went on to finish the fifth, but wound up allowing five runs on five hits over 2/3 of an inning. Edwin Jimenez enter in place of Tietz in the sixth and would go on to record three scoreless frames while holding the Nationals offense to just one hit. Jimenez also struck out four and walked two.

Dustin Saenz, Tyler Schoff, Cody Greenhill and Jack Sinclair pitched for the FredNats. Saenz (1-0, 4.22) earned the win after working through six innings with two runs allowed and six strikeouts. Schoff and Greenhill then followed with scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth respectively. Sinclair worked the ninth and allowed a run and one hit while finishing the game.

HOME RUNS:

Fredericksburg: Infante (3, 4th inning off Puello, 0 on, 0 out); Emiliani (1, 5th inning off Tietz, 1 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Bello, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 3-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Raabe, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 2B
Emiliani, 1B (Fredericksburg): 3-for-5, 1 R, 2 2B 1 HR, 2 RBI
Infante, 3B (Fredericksburg): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
House, SS (Fredericksburg): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Sullivan, C (Fredericksburg): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Rivero, 2B (Fredericksburg): 1-for-2, 0 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Puello (L, 1-1) (Carolina): 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
Jimenez (Carolina): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Saenz (W, 1-0) (Fredericksburg): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO
Schoff (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Greenhill (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Sinclair (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Nationals 0) -- Arbert Cipion strikes out on automatic strike. Jheremy Vargas walks. Micah Bello doubles to left field, Jheremy Vargas scores. Jeferson Quero flies out to Jeremy De La Rosa, Micah Bello to 3rd. Jesus Chirinos doubles to right-center field, Micah Bello scores. Oswel Leones grounds out, Dustin Saenz to Brady House to Leandro Emiliani.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Nationals 2nd (Mudcats 2, Nationals 1) -- Andry Arias doubles to right field. Sammy Infante reaches on throwing error by Alberis Ferrer, Andry Arias scores; Sammy Infante to 3rd. T.J. White strikes out on foul tip. Jake Sullivan grounds out, Jheremy Vargas to Jesus Chirinos. Yoander Rivero grounds out, Israel Puello to Jesus Chirinos.

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

Nationals 4th (Mudcats 2, Nationals 2) -- Sammy Infante hits a home run to center field on a 3-2 pitch. T.J. White struck out looking. Jake Sullivan pops out to Jeferson Quero in foul territory. Yoander Rivero hit by pitch. Yoander Rivero caught stealing 2nd base, Jeferson Quero to Zack Raabe.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Nationals 5th (Nationals 8, Mudcats 2) -- Jacob Young strikes out on foul tip. Jeremy De La Rosa doubles to right field. Pitcher Change: Trevor Tietz replaces Israel Puello. Brady House singles to center field, Jeremy De La Rosa scores. Leandro Emiliani hits a home run to right-center field on a 1-0 pitch, Brady House scores. Andry Arias flies out to Micah Bello. Sammy Infante doubles to left field. T.J. White walks. Sammy Infante steals 3rd base. Jake Sullivan doubles to right field, Sammy Infante scores; T.J. White to 3rd. Yoander Rivero doubles to left field, T.J. White scores; Jake Sullivan scores. Jacob Young grounds out to Jesus Chirinos.

(6 Runs, 6 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Nationals 8, Mudcats 3) -- Pitcher Change: Jack Sinclair replaces Cody Greenhill. Alberis Ferrer pops out to Sammy Infante. Luis Silva hit by pitch. Zack Raabe doubles to right field, Luis Silva to 3rd. Arbert Cipion grounds out, Yoander Rivero to Leandro Emiliani, Luis Silva scores; Zack Raabe to 3rd.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)