KINSTON, N.C. - Carolina's starter Dylan File retired nine straight and had six strikeouts over the first three innings on Sunday, but ended up allowing four runs and four hits in the fourth while taking the loss as the Wood Ducks defeated the Mudcats 7-1 on Sunday afternoon at Grainger
KINSTON, N.C. - Carolina's starter Dylan File retired nine straight and had six strikeouts over the first three innings on Sunday, but ended up allowing four runs and four hits in the fourth while taking the loss as the Wood Ducks defeated the Mudcats 7-1 on Sunday afternoon at Grainger Stadium. Carolina's only run of the game came in the ninth on a home run by Rob Henry.
The loss dropped the Mudcats (2-2) into a 2-2, series split with the Wood Ducks (2-2) and came after Carolina had won two straight in the series. The Wood Ducks, playing as the "Patos Joyuyos," the club's Copa de la Diversion identity, scored four times in the fourth and three times in the eighth to lock up the series finale victory.
File (0-1, 7.20) opened his first start of 2019, and his first start as a Mudcat, with a strikeout of Eric Jenkins and went to total two strikeouts in the first, second and third innings. He retired nine straight to begin his outing before Jenkins doubled off him to start the four run fourth.
The Jenkins double was the first hit of the game for both teams and was the first four hits in the third for the Wood Ducks. Two batters later, Leody Taveras followed with an infield hit to third and both he and Jenkins would go on to score on a double from Diosbel Arias. Down East's Ryan Dorow then connected on a two-run homer as the "Patos Joyuyos" took a 4-0 lead in the game.
File stayed in the game for the fifth and finished his 2019 debut with five innings pitched and eight strikeouts. He also walked one and allowed four runs on four hits while reaching 79 pitches (53 strikes).
Reliever Christian Meister followed File and worked a perfect sixth with three strikeouts. Chris Dula then pitched a scoreless seventh, but the Wood Ducks rallied for three more runs in the eighth with Dula and J.T. Hintzen splitting the frame. Dula started the eighth with back-to-back walks and Hintzen was then brought in to try and get Carolina out of the frame. Hintzen went on two walk two more and later allow a two-run single to Tyreque Reed as the Wood Ducks went up 7-0 in the game. Hintzen eventually finished the inning and ended up allowing two inherited runners to score and one run of his own on one hit and two walks over an inning pitched. Dula worked an inning plus and allowed two runs and one hit, while also walking three.
Down East starter Reid Anderson also pitched well in his debut after holding Carolina without a hit over four and 1/3 innings pitched. He walked four batters over the first three innings, but left the game without allowing a run or hit in the fifth. Kaleb Fontenot (1-0, 11.57) followed and went on to pitch through an inning and 2/3 without allowing a run. He was later replaced by Matuella in the sixth, who went on to work a scoreless frame, but also ended up allowing the first Carolina hit of the game to Payton Henry. Joe Barlow pitched the final two frames and finished the game with four strikeouts and one run allowed after he gave up Henry's homer in the ninth.
Henry's big fly in the ninth came in his first game and first start of the season. It was also Carolina's first home run of the season. Entering the game, Carolina and Down East were the only Carolina league teams without a home run in the young season. The home run was also the fourth and final hit of the game for the Mudcats.
NOTES: Carolina's pitchers combined to total 13 strikeouts in Sunday's loss; bringing their Carolina League leading total to 53 for the season.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats next head to Woodbridge, VA on Monday to take on the Potomac Nationals as they continue their season opening seven game roadtrip. Monday's game will begin at 7:05 p.m. in Potomac and will be the first of a three game series. RHP Christian Taugner (0-0, -.--) will start for the Mudcats in Monday's series opener. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online via carolinamudcats.com, TuneIn Radio and the First Pitch mobile app.
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