ZEBULON, N.C. - Ryan Aguilar had a run scoring single in the sixth and blasted a solo home run in the ninth while driving in two runs and scoring once in a 4-3 loss to the Wood Ducks on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. The loss stretched
ZEBULON, N.C. - Ryan Aguilar had a run scoring single in the sixth and blasted a solo home run in the ninth while driving in two runs and scoring once in a 4-3 loss to the Wood Ducks on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. The loss stretched Carolina's current losing streak to a season high seven straight games.
The Wood Ducks (24-14, 74-34) scored twice in the first to take an early lead, but Carolina (16-23, 55-53) answered back with a run in the fourth and sixth while tying the game at 2-2. Down East then rallied for two runs in the eighth, including a go-ahead home run from Curtis Terry, while moving in front again 4-2. Aguilar's homer in the ninth then cut the lead to 4-3, but Carolina went on to leave two men on in the final frame while coming up short in their comeback bid.
Aaron Ashby started and allowed two runs on five hits in the first, before eventually settling in and pitching through the sixth with just two first inning runs allowed on eight hits. In all, Ashby walked two (both in his sixth and final inning) and struck out six while reaching 93 pitches (61 strikes).
The Wood Ducks jumped out to their 2-0 lead in the first after Bubba Thompson started the game with a double before scoring two batters later on a RBI single to left from Terry. Yanio Perez followed Terry's hit with a single to short and another singled by JP Martinez moments later brought across Terry to put Down East up 2-0. Carolina did, however, catch Perez at third to end the opening frame after Aguilar threw him out from center for the third out. The Mudcats also turned a double play in the first while limiting the damage.
Down East led 2-0 through the third before Carolina scored once in the fourth on a run scoring hit to right from Aguilar. That hit scored Mario Feliciano from second after he reached earlier in the inning on an error at short. The Mudcats also later tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth after Tristen Lutz singled and scored on a two-out run scoring hit to center from Eddie Silva. Lutz's hit started Carolina's one run sixth and Silva's knocked out starter Sal Mendez while also locking the game up at 2-2.
Mendez allowed two runs on five hits over five and 2/3 in his start for the Wood Ducks. He also walked two and struck out three in the series opening start. Cole Uvila followed Mendez out of the bullpen and went on to retire seven straight with help of six strikeouts while holding the tie at 2-2 through the seventh.
The 2-2 tie disappeared in the eighth when reliever J.T. Hintzen allowed a Terry's solo home run down the left field line. The home run was Terry's fifth of the season and it put the Wood Ducks up 3-2. They later added one more run on a run scoring double from Sherten Apostel while scoring twice against Hintzen in the eighth to take a 4-2 lead.
Hintzen (L, 0-2, 3.06) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out one in the loss. The homer was his second allowed in as many games, and the same was true for the loss as he suffered his second loss in as many games as well.
Phil Bickford ended up taking over for the ninth out of the Carolina pen and went on to total two strikeouts and one hit allowed while working through a scoreless frame.
Carolina trailed 4-2 heading into their half of the ninth, but Aguilar quickly cut the lead down to one at 4-3 after connecting on his home run to right off reliever Joe Kuzia. The home run was Aguilar's ninth of the season and Carolina's first since Eddie Silva homered on July 21 versus Wilmington.
That lone run in the ninth, however, ended up being the only run in the final frame as Kuzia pitched around two, two-out singles from pinch-hitter Rob Henry and Wes Rogers, while closing the game and earning his 16th save.
The loss was Carolina's seventh straight and dropped them to 8.5 games back of first in the second half standings behind the Wood Ducks. It also dropped Carolina to 55-53 overall on the season, putting them at just two games above .500 for the first time since April 26 when they were 12-10.
The three game series, and three game home stand, will continue on Wednesday morning with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at Five County Stadium.
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