Raabe Delivers Walk-Off Winner for Mudcats

Augusta 3 @ Carolina 4

May 04, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:01 PM | Att : 655 | T : 2:20

AUG: 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 4 0

CAR: 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 4 8 1

WP: Michele Vassalotti (3 - 0) LP: Rolddy Munoz (0 - 2)

LISTEN: Post-game interview with Manager Victor Estevez

ZEBULON – Zack Raabe came through in the ninth with a walk-off single to score Jose Sibrian from second as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Augusta GreenJackets 4-3 on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium. Raabe also had a go-ahead double in the fifth, and Sibrian had both Carolina’s first hit of the game in the third and a game-tying single in the fifth while leading the Mudcats to their third straight victory.

The Mudcats (13-10) originally had a 3-1 lead in the eighth before Connor Blair hit a game-tying two-run home run for the GreenJackets (12-11). That home run locked the game at 3-3, but a double from Sibrian followed by Raabe’s game-winner off Rolddy Munoz in the ninth lifted Carolina to the 4-3 victory in walk-off fashion at Five County Stadium.

Sibrian and Raabe – Carolina’s eighth and ninth place batters – both went 3-for-4 in the game while combining for six of Carolina’s eight hits, three of their four runs scored, and three of the Carolina’s four RBI. Eduardo Garcia made up the rest of the offense while going 1-for-4 with a RBI.

The GreenJackets originally led 1-0 before the Mudcats scored three times in the fifth to take their 3-1 lead. That early Augusta run was unearned and came against Carolina starter Ryne Moore. That lone run, and two hit-batters to start the game, were the only blemishes on Moore’s start. Moore worked through six innings and struck out seven in his quality start for the Mudcats.

AJ Smith-Shawver started for the GreenJackets and worked through the fifth while allowing three runs on five hits. Smith-Shawver originally started the game with seven straight outs before giving up a single to Sibrian in the third. Two innings later, Sibrian struck again with a game-tying double off Smith-Shawver. That doubled scored Jesus Chirinos who had singled to start the fifth and tied the game at 1-1. The fifth continued with a go-ahead RBI double to right from Raabe and Garcia’s RBI single to left that made it 3-1 Carolina.

Carolina’s 3-1 lead held through the seventh, but was lost with two-outs in the eighth when reliever Christian Tripp gave up Blair’s home run. Tripp ended up taking a blown save despite working a scoreless seventh and nearly getting through the eighth. In all, Tripp allowed just one hit, walked two and struck out three.

Michele Vassalotti pitched the ninth and went on to retire the side in order while keeping the game tied ahead of Carolina’s eventual walk-off winner.

Munoz (0-2) took the loss after allowing Sibrian’s double and Raabe’s game winning hit in the ninth. He originally pitched a scoreless eighth and finished with three strikeouts over an inning and 1/3 in the loss.

Carolina’s walk-off victory was their first of the season. It also accounted for the club’s third straight win. The Mudcats took a 2-0 lead in their current six-game series with Augusta following Wednesday’s walk-off victory. The Mudcats won all six of their games with the GreenJackets last season and are now 8-0 all-time versus Augusta.

HOME RUNS:

Augusta: Blair (1, 8th inning off Tripp, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Raabe, 2B (Carolina): 3-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI

Sibrian, C (Carolina): 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 RBI

Blair, RF (Augusta): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Zebrowski, DH (Augusta): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Moore (Carolina): 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO

Tripp (BS, 1) (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Vassalotti (W, 3-0) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Smith-Shawver (Augusta): 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

Owens (Augusta): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

GreenJackets 3rd (GreenJackets 1, Mudcats 0) -- Caleb Durbin reaches on missed catch error by Jesus Chirinos, assist to Alberis Ferrer, Caleb Durbin to 2nd. Passed ball by Jose Sibrian, Caleb Durbin to 3rd. Cal Conley walks. Stephen Paolini strikes out swinging, Cal Conley steals 2nd base. Adam Zebrowski grounds out, Ryne Moore to Jesus Chirinos, Caleb Durbin scores; Cal Conley to 3rd. Brandol Mezquita strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 3, GreenJackets 1) -- Jesus Chirinos singles to right-center field. Alberis Ferrer flies out to Connor Blair. Wild pitch by AJ Smith-Shawver, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Jose Sibrian doubles to left-center field, Jesus Chirinos scores. Zack Raabe doubles to right field, Jose Sibrian scores. Wild pitch by AJ Smith-Shawver, Zack Raabe to 3rd. Oswel Leones walks. Eduardo Garcia singles to left field, Zack Raabe scores; Oswel Leones to 2nd. Jackson Chourio struck out looking. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Caleb Durbin to Mahki Backstrom.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

GreenJackets 8th (GreenJackets 3, Mudcats 3) -- Adam Zebrowski walks. Brandol Mezquita pops out to Zack Raabe. Mahki Backstrom strikes out swinging. Connor Blair hits a home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch, Adam Zebrowski scores. Rusber Estrada flies out to Oswel Leones.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Mudcats 4, GreenJackets 3) -- Alberis Ferrer strikes out swinging. Jose Sibrian doubles to center field. Zack Raabe singles to right field, Jose Sibrian scores.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)