Mudcats Slip to Second After 5-3 Loss in Lynchburg

Carolina 3 @ Lynchburg 5

June 01, 2022 | Venue : Bank of the James Stadium | First pitch : 7:04 PM | Att : 1,048 | T : 2:28 (:34 delay)

CAR: 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 12 0

LYN: 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 x 5 6 0

WP: Trenton Denholm (2 - 2) LP: Jefferson Figueroa (0 - 2) SV: Trey Benton (4)

LYNCHBURG – Jackson Chourio hit a three-run home run in the third, and both Arbert Cipion and Eduardo Garcia had three hits, but the Carolina Mudcats lost their second straight game 5-3 to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Bank of James Stadium on Wednesday night in Lynchburg, VA. With the loss, the Mudcats fell to second place in the Carolina League North Division standings behind the first place Hillcats.

The Mudcats (26-21) immediately fell behind in the opening frame after Lynchburg’s Dayan Frias connected on a grand slam to put the Hillcats (26-20) up 4-0. The home run was Frias’ first of the season and came with two-outs in the first inning off Carolina starter Jeferson Figueroa. Carolina came back with Chourio’s three-run blast in the third, but a RBI double from Jake Burgos in the fifth added on another Lynchburg run to give them their 5-3 lead.

Figueroa (0-2) ended up with the loss after allowing five runs on five hits over five innings pitched. He also walked one and struck out three. Miguel Segura took over in relief of Figueroa in the sixth and would finish the game with three scoreless innings. Segura walked two and struck out three while allowing just one hit between the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

Starter Trenton Denholm gave up Chourio’s home run in the third, but earned the victory for the Hillcats. Denholm (2-2) gave up eight hits and struck out eight over his five inning start. Braunny Munoz, Davis Sharpe and Trey Benton all appeared in relief for Lynchburg and combined on four scoreless frames the rest of the way.

The Mudcats left 12 men on base, including three in the seventh and two in the ninth. Carolina also went just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the game and struck out 17 times.

The series continues Thursday night at Bank of James Stadium with right-hander Stiven Cruz starting for the Mudcats.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Chourio (2, 3rd inning off Denholm, 2 on, 1 out).

Lynchburg: Frias (1, 1st inning off Figueroa, 3 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Cipion, RF (Carolina): 3-for-5, 1 R

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 3-for-5, 1 R

Frias, 2B (Lynchburg): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Burgos, J, CF (Lynchburg): 1-for-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Valdes, SS (Lynchburg): 1-for-4, 1 R

Fox, DH (Lynchburg): 1-for-3, 2 R

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Segura (Carolina): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Denholm (W, 2-2) (Lynchburg): 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO

Munoz (H, 2) (Lynchburg): 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Sharpe (H, 5) (Lynchburg): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

Benton (S, 4) (Lynchburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

SCORING:

Hillcats 1st (Hillcats 4, Mudcats 0) -- Yordys Valdes singles to deep shortstop. Jake Fox hit by pitch, Yordys Valdes to 2nd. Jorge Burgos flies out to Jackson Chourio, Yordys Valdes to 3rd; Jake Fox to 2nd. Milan Tolentino pops out to Eduardo Garcia. Junior Sanquintin hit by pitch. Dayan Frias hits a grand slam to right field on a 0-0 pitch, Yordys Valdes scores; Jake Fox scores; Junior Sanquintin scores. Isaiah Greene flies out to Jackson Chourio.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Hillcats 4, Mudcats 3) -- Jheremy Vargas strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion singles through the hole at second base. Eduardo Garcia singles to deep shortstop, Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Jackson Chourio hits a home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch, Arbert Cipion scores; Eduardo Garcia scores. Jose Sibrian flies out to Jorge Burgos. Jesus Chirinos singles to right field. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Hillcats 5th (Hillcats 5, Mudcats 3) -- Luis Durango ground bunts out, Alberis Ferrer to Jesus Chirinos. Yordys Valdes flies out to Jackson Chourio. Jake Fox singles to left-center field. Jake Fox advances to 2nd on a balk. Jorge Burgos doubles to left-center field, Jake Fox scores. Milan Tolentino singles to right field, Jorge Burgos out at home on the throw, Arbert Cipion to Jose Sibrian.

(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)