Mudcats Win 9-3 as Avina Homers Twice in Debut

Kannapolis 3 @ Carolina 9

August 06, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 5:03 PM | Att : 3,393 | T : 2:32

KAN: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 7 1

CAR: 0 3 0 0 2 0 1 3 x 9 15 0

WP: Alexander Cornielle (7 - 7) LP: Hunter Dollander (3 - 2) SV: Karlos Morales (4)

ZEBULON – Jace Avina homered twice in his Carolina Mudcats debut, Jeferson Quero extended his hitting streak to eight straight games, starter Alexander Cornielle totaled eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings and Karlos Morales earned his fourth save as the Mudcats defeated the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 9-3 on Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

Corniellie (7-7) earned the victory after cruising his way through six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and three hits. His eight strikeouts pushed his season total to 110 strikeouts, currently the second most in the Carolina League this season.

The Mudcats (17-18, 51-50) led from start to finish as they broke a scoreless tie in the second with a three-run and five-hit inning. All five of their hits in the second were singles and all five came against starter Hunter Dollander. Jadher Areinamo had Carolina’s first run-scoring hit of the second inning and Luis Silva had the other two batters later. Zack Raabe also forced in a run with a groundout between those two as Carolina went up 3-0. Dollander (3-2) took the loss for the Cannon Ballers (20-15, 46-55) after allowing three runs on five hits over an innings and 2/3.

Avina then lifted the Mudcats to a 5-0 lead while connecting on a two-run home run in the sixth. The home run was his first with the Mudcats and his first of two homers in the game as he later hit a solo shot in the seventh. Avina ended up going 2-for-4 with two home runs, two runs and three RBI in his debut.

Carolina was up 6-0 after Avina’s second homer in the seventh, but the Cannon Ballers went on to score three times against reliever Jeison Pena in the eighth to cut the lead to 6-3. Colby Smelley had a RBI double and DJ Gladney had a two-run single in the eighth for Kannapolis in the late three-run inning. Morales (S, 4) then took over and finished the eighth before working a scoreless ninth to close out the game. Morales struck out two and allowed just one hit over an inning and 1/3 while earning the save.

The Carolina lead quickly went from 6-3 to 9-3 in the eighth as Jesus Chirinos and Hedbert Perez both had RBI hits in the three run frame. Eduarqui Fernandez tripled and scored on a single from Chirinos, and both Areinamo and Raabe scored on a two-run double from Perez.

The victory lifted the Mudcats into a 3-2 lead in the six-game series. RHP Fernando Olguin will have the start for the Mudcats in Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. series finale with the Cannon Ballers.

*HOME RUNS:
*Carolina: Avina 2 (2, 5th inning off Fernandez, 1 on, 2 out, 7th inning off Valles, 0 on, 2 out).

*TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
*Avina, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Quero, C (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R
Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Areinamo, SS (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI
Perez, RF (Carolina): 2-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Smelley, DH (Kannapolis): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Gladney, 1B (Kannapolis): 1-for-3, 2 RBI
Laureano, RF (Kannapolis): 2-for-4
Thornquist, C (Kannapolis): 1-for-4, 1 2B

*TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
*Cornielle (W, 7-7) (Carolina): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
Morales (S, 4) (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Fernandez (Kannapolis): 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Jeferson Quero singles through the hole at shortstop. Eduarqui Fernandez singles to left-center field, Jeferson Quero to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging. Jadher Areinamo singles through the hole at shortstop, Jeferson Quero scores; Jadher Areinamo to 2nd; throwing error by Benyamin Bailey. Zack Raabe grounds out, Andy Atwood to DJ Gladney, Eduarqui Fernandez scores; Jadher Areinamo to 3rd. Luis Silva singles to left-center field, Jadher Areinamo scores. Hedbert Perez singles to right-center field, Luis Silva to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Rigo Fernandez replaces Hunter Dollander. Hedbert Perez steals 2nd base. Luis Castillo strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 5 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 5, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Luis Silva pops out to DJ Gladney. Hedbert Perez grounds out to DJ Gladney. Luis Castillo singles to right-center field. Jace Avina hits a home run to left field on a 2-1 pitch, Luis Castillo scores. Pitcher Change: Jesus Valles replaces Rigo Fernandez. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Wes Kath to DJ Gladney.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Hedbert Perez flies out to Benyamin Bailey. Luis Castillo grounds out, Andy Atwood to DJ Gladney. Jace Avina hits a home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch. Jeferson Quero flies out to Misael Gonzalez.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 8th (Mudcats 6, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Brandon Bossard struck out looking. Misael Gonzalez walks. Andy Atwood strikes out swinging. Misael Gonzalez advances to 2nd on defensive indifference. Wes Kath walks. Misael Gonzalez steals 3rd base. Colby Smelley hits a ground rule double to right field, Misael Gonzalez scores; Wes Kath to 3rd. DJ Gladney singles to right-center field, Wes Kath scores; Colby Smelley scores. Pitcher Change: Karlos Morales replaces Jeison Pena. Benyamin Bailey singles to center field, DJ Gladney to 2nd. Johnabiell Laureano strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Eduarqui Fernandez triples through the hole at shortstop. Jesus Chirinos singles to right field, Eduarqui Fernandez scores. Jadher Areinamo grounds into a force out, Jesus Valles to Brandon Bossard, Jesus Chirinos out at 2nd. Zack Raabe singles to left-center field, Jadher Areinamo to 2nd. Luis Silva lines out to Benyamin Bailey. Wild pitch by Jesus Valles, Jadher Areinamo to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Hedbert Perez doubles to center field, Jadher Areinamo scores; Zack Raabe scores. Luis Castillo strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)