Mudcats Survive in 5-4 Series Tying Victory

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault's live post-game interview

ZEBULON – Joe Gray Jr. hit his ninth home run of the season and extended his hitting streak to 13 consecutive games, Gabe Holt went 2-for-4 while extending his hitting streak to 12 straight and Felix Valerio went 2-for-4 with a go-ahead double in the sixth as the Mudcats defeated the Wood Ducks 5-4 on Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

Carolina (18-10) moved ahead of the Wood Ducks (17-11) by a game in the Low-A East Central division standings with the victory. They also leveled the series at two games apiece.

Brock Begue started and worked into the third with two runs (one earned) allowed on one hit. Begue also walked five, including a lead off walk to Jayce Easley to start the game. Easley went on to steal second and third in the opening frame before later scoring on a sacrifice fly.

Carolina was down 1-0 in the first before answering back with three runs of their own in the same frame to take the early 3-0 lead. Holt started that rally with a single (extending his hitting streak to 12 straight) before scoring from second on a RBI hit from Ernesto Martinez. Freddy Zamora, who was hit by a pitch from starter Nick Krauth, later scored on an error to give Carolina the 2-1 lead. Darrien Miller later walked with the bases loaded to score Carolina’s third run of the inning as the Mudcats led 3-1 after one.

Gray then lifted the Mudcats to a 4-1 lead after blasting his league leading ninth home run of the season. The home run was Gray’s second in as many days and extending his hitting streak to a league high 13 consecutive games.

Down East went on to chip away with a run on a bases loaded walk (issued by Begue) in the third and one in the fourth on a run scoring groundout. Joey Matulovich allowed the lone Down East run in the fourth. He originally came in and left the bases loaded after taking over for Begue in the third.

The Wood Ducks went on to tie the game with a run scoring double from Xavier Valentin off Michele Vassalotti in the sixth, but Valerio answered in the Carolina half of the sixth with a RBI double off Ben Anderson. Valerio also doubled in the eighth and went 2-for-4 with the go-ahead, and eventual game winning hit, in the sixth. That double scored Ashton McGee who singled to start the inning.

Vassalotti (1-1, 8.44) (BS, 1) pitched through two innings in all and allowed a run and one hit while also striking out three. He was followed by Abner Uribe who ended up with his first hold after working through two scoreless frames with four strikeouts against two walks.

The Wood Ducks totaled nine stolen bases in the game, including four by Easley, two from Dustin Harris, two by Keithron Moss and one from Thomas Saggese.

Moss’ final stolen base also turned into an out that helped seal Carolina’s victory. That steal came in the eighth when Moss stole second and immediately moved to third on a throwing error by Miller. Moss never broke stride when running from second to third and attempted to score on the same play, but Gray and Zamora teamed to get the ball back in quickly from center with Zamora catching Moss at the plate to end the inning.

That play kept Carolina up 5-4 in the eighth and Kent Hasler went on to work a scoreless ninth while earning his first career save.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina HR: Gray Jr. (9, 2nd inning off Krauth, 0 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Acuna, 2B (Down East): 1-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Valentin, C (Down East): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Moss, DH (Down East): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Valerio, F, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
McGee, DH (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Begue (Carolina): 2.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 SO
Matulovich (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Vassalotti (W, 1-1)(BS, 1) (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Uribe (H, 1) (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Hasler (S, 1) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Anderson (L, 1-1) (Down East): 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Church (Down East): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

SCORING PLAYS:
Wood Ducks 1st (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 0) -- Jayce Easley walks. Evan Carter pops out to Felix Valerio in foul territory. Jayce Easley steals 2nd base. Jayce Easley steals 3rd base. Dustin Harris walks. Keyber Rodriguez out on a sacrifice fly to Noah Campbell, Jayce Easley scores. Luisangel Acuna singles through the hole at shortstop, Dustin Harris to 2nd. Thomas Saggese flies out to Noah Campbell
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 3, Wood Ducks 1) -- Gabe Holt singles to center field. Wild pitch by Nick Krauth, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Freddy Zamora hit by pitch. Joe Gray Jr. strikes out swinging. Ernesto Martinez singles to center field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Noah Campbell hit by pitch. Joey Wiemer reaches on fielding error by Thomas Saggese, Freddy Zamora scores; Ernesto Martinez to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Ashton McGee grounds into a force out, Nick Krauth to Xavier Valentin, Ernesto Martinez out at home, Noah Campbell to 3rd; Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Darrien Miller walks, Noah Campbell scores; Joey Wiemer to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Felix Valerio grounds out, Keyber Rodriguez to Dustin Harris.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 1) -- Gabe Holt walks. Freddy Zamora grounds into double play, Keyber Rodriguez to Luisangel Acuna to Dustin Harris, Gabe Holt out at 2nd, Freddy Zamora out at 1st. Joe Gray Jr. hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch. Ernesto Martinez pops out to Luisangel Acuna.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 3rd (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 2) -- Jayce Easley reaches on throwing error by Freddy Zamora. Evan Carter lines out to Joe Gray Jr. Jayce Easley steals 2nd base. Dustin Harris walks. Jayce Easley steals 3rd base, Dustin Harris steals 2nd base. Keyber Rodriguez walks. Luisangel Acuna strikes out swinging. Thomas Saggese walks, Jayce Easley scores; Dustin Harris to 3rd; Keyber Rodriguez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Joey Matulovich replaces Brock Begue. Xavier Valentin grounds into a force out, fielded by Freddy Zamora, Thomas Saggese out at 2nd.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors, 3 LOB)

Wood Ducks 4th (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 3) -- Keithron Moss singles to center field. Antonio Cabello strikes out swinging. Keithron Moss steals 2nd base. throwing error by Darrien Miller. Jayce Easley grounds out, Freddy Zamora to Ernesto Martinez, Keithron Moss scores. Evan Carter grounds out, Joey Matulovich to Ernesto Martinez.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 6th (Wood Ducks 4, Mudcats 4) -- Thomas Saggese walks. Thomas Saggese steals 2nd base. Xavier Valentin doubles to left-center field, Thomas Saggese scores; Xavier Valentin to 3rd. Keithron Moss struck out looking. Antonio Cabello struck out looking. Jayce Easley flies out to Joe Gray Jr.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 5, Wood Ducks 4) -- Ashton McGee singles to right field. Darrien Miller flies out to Antonio Cabello. Wild pitch by Ben Anderson, Ashton McGee to 2nd. Felix Valerio doubles to left-center field, Ashton McGee scores. Gabe Holt flies out to Evan Carter. Freddy Zamora flies out to Antonio Cabello.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)