ZEBULON, N.C. - Keston Hiura scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch lost by reliever Locke St. John in the tenth as the Mudcats walked-off the visiting Wood Ducks 4-3 in ten innings on Saturday night at Five County Stadium. Hiura had two doubles and went 3-for-5 in the
ZEBULON, N.C. - Keston Hiura scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch lost by reliever Locke St. John in the tenth as the Mudcats walked-off the visiting Wood Ducks 4-3 in ten innings on Saturday night at Five County Stadium. Hiura had two doubles and went 3-for-5 in the game as he helped lead the Mudcats to their third straight victory.
The walk-off victory was Carolina's second of year and came during the club's first extra-innings game under the new rule format at Five County Stadium. The home win also gave the Mudcats (14-15) their third straight win overall and their second straight in the series as they took a 2-0 lead on the Wood Ducks (14-15) in the three game series.
Hiura's game winning run came with one-out in the tenth and during a long at-bat between St. John (1-1, 1.74) and Ronnie Gideon. St. John started ahead of Gideon in the at-bat, but Gideon went on to foul off three pitches while eventually working his way into a 2-2 count. St. John then delivered a 2-2 pitch up above the zone and in on the hands of Gideon. Carolina's first baseman took the pitch and moved out of the way as it sailed away from catcher Matt Whatley. Hiura then broke for home and was able to score the game winner from third without a play at the plate.
Reliever Alec Crawford earned the victory for the Mudcats after totaling four strikeouts and stranding three bases runners over the ninth and tenth innings. Crawford (1-0, 2.70) also gave up two hits, but held the Wood Ducks scoreless while hold the 3-3 tie over the final two frames.
Starter Trey Supak worked into the seventh and left with two men on base and with the Mudcats leading 1-0 in the game. Nattino Diplan followed out of the bullpen and ended up allowing a three-run home run to Andretty Cordero, thus closing the book on Supak and allowing the Wood Ducks to take the lead for the first time in the game. The home run was Cordero's third of the season and was one of two hits for him in the game.
Overall, Supak struck out three, scattered four hits and walked one while allowing just the two runs over six and 2/3 innings. He also pitched to a 67 game score and reached 93 pitches (60 strikes) before leaving the game.
The 3-1 Down East lead did not last long however, as the Mudcats rallied for one run in the last of the seventh before tying the game at 3-3 in the eighth. Weston Wilson doubled and scored on a RBI groundout from Max McDowell in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-2 and then another RBI ground out from Dallas Carroll scored Ryan Aguilar after he had walked to start the eighth.
Like Supak, Down East starter Walker Weickel also allowed two runs in his start. Weickel ended up with a no-decision despite working through the seventh with two runs allowed on six hits. He also walked one and struck out three. Carolina scored once against him in the third with a two-out run scoring single from Tucker Neuhaus and then once more in the seventh to get within one at 3-2.
Carolina's game tying run came later in the eighth against Jacob Lemoine and was the only run allowed by the Wood Ducks' reliever over his one and 1/3 inning appearance. Lemoine did, however, walk two in the game. His second walk was of Carlos Belonis in the ninth and was a one-out free pass that ended up loading the bases for Aguilar and Hiura. St. John then struck out both Aguilar and Hiura with the bases loaded in the ninth to then force extras.
The Wood Ducks had a chance to get the go-ahead run across in the tenth as Cordero started the extra frame with a double, but pinch-runner Preston Scott only advanced to third on Cordero's lead-off double, despite starting the inning at second base. Crawford went on to pitch around the leadoff double and ended up striking out two in the inning while leaving two men on base. Crawford also struck out two in the ninth and left three men on base over the final two innings of the game.
Carolina's final frame began with Hiura at second and continued with Neuhaus moving him over to third with a deep fly out to right and then the wild pitch lost by St. John during Gideon's at-bat.
The series will conclude on Sunday beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. Sunday's game will feature LHP Nathan Kirby (0-1, 4.63) starting for the Mudcats against LHP Christian Torres (1-2, 3.68) and the Wood Ducks. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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