Nine Run Third Dooms Mudcats in 12-7 Loss to Buies Creek

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Demi Orimoloye hit a three-run home run in the first and Ryan Aguilar homered in the second, but the Astros rallied for nine runs in the third and pounded out five home runs in the game while defeating the Mudcats 12-7 on Wednesday night at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek.

JJ Matejevic homered twice and Corey Julks hit a grand slam while leading the Astros (35-21, 72-53) to the victory. The Mudcats (25-31, 59-67) led first in the game after getting Orimoloye's homer in the first and led 5-1 after the second before seeing the Astros run away with the game with their nine run third. Carolina fell to 10.0 games back of Buies Creek in the second half playoff race and saw their elimination number drop to three (3) with the loss.
The two sides traded home runs in the first as Orimoloye connected on a three-run home run in the opening frame off Astros starter Cristian Javier. Carolina's starter Christian Taugner, however, then went on to allow a solo home run to Matijevic in the last of the first as Buies Creek pulled within two at 3-1.
A leadoff home run from Aguilar and a RBI double from Mario Feiiciano stretched the Carolina lead to 5-1 in the second, but that lead was short lived as the Astros rallied for nine runs in the third while flipping the game around.
The nine run Buies Creek third began with a single from Jacob Meyers and continued a run scoring double from Julks, another home run from Matijevic, a two-out homer from Jake Adams, a two-out RBI single from Carlos Canelon and a two-out grand slam from Julks.
Taugner (1-1, 6.75) faced eight of the 12 batters appearing for Buies Creek in the third and took the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits over two and 2/3 innings. Reliever Alec Kenilovort followed Taugner in the third and ended up allowing Canelon's RBI single and Julks' grand slam. 
Buies Creek led 10-5 following the nine run third and never looked back. Carolina scored once in the fourth on a RBI single from Hummel, but the Astros answered with a two-run home run from Seth Beer while going up 12-6 in the sixth. Hummel struck again with a RBI double in the eighth, but the Astros would go on to win 12-7.
Hummel drove in two and went 2-for-5 in the loss for Carolina. Orimoloye went 1-for-4 with his lone hit being his three-run home run in the first. It was his second home run in as many games and his fifth since joining the Mudcats following the All-Star break. Aguilar's home run in the second was his sixth of the year and his first of two hits as he went 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI and two walks. Feliciano also had a multi-hit game after going 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI.
The Astros, meanwhile, were led by Julks who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and five RBI out of the leadoff spot. Matijevic hit second and homered twice while going 2-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Adams and Beer both homered and both finished with one hit apiece in the game. Beer's sixth inning homer came off reliever Phil Bickford and was his second with the Astros this season.
Neither starter made it beyond the third in the game, so both bullpens were fairly active. Kenilvort was the first one called on out of the Carolina pen and ended up going through two and 1/3 innings with three runs allowed one two hits. He also walked two, struck out four and allowed two inherited runners in. Bickford pitched the sixth and seventh and finished with two walks, two strikeouts and two runs allowed on two hits. Rodrigo Benoit worked the eighth for Carolina and pitched around a hit while striking out two in a scoreless frame.
Javier started for the Astros and ended up with a no-decision as he allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits over two and 2/3 innings. Yohan Ramirez followed and allowed a run and a hit over two and 1/3. Enoli Paredes (4-1, 0.00) ended up with the win after holding Carolina scoreless over the sixth and seventh. Bredan Feldmann then worked the eighth and ninth with a run allowed on two hits while finishing the game.
The Astros pitchers also combined to total 16 strikeouts versus Carolina. Javier struck out six while pitching into the third, Ramirez struck out four and both Paredes and Feldmann struck out three apiece to finish off the last half of the game.
Buies Creek took a two games to none lead in the split, away/home series and will next look for the sweep on Thursday night at Five County Stadium as the series shifts to Zebulon. Thursday's 7:00 p.m. Thirsty Thursday game will also count as a short one game home stand for the Mudcats as they will continue on the road beginning on Friday with game one of three in Frederick.
Tickets are available by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com/tickets, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, the Big Dawg 98.5 FM and via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com. It will also stream live via video on MiLB.tv.
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