Sibrian Stays Hot, but Mudcats Fall 4-3

Carolina 3 @ Kannapolis 4
August 25, 2022 | Venue : Atrium Health Ballpark | First pitch : 7:00 PM | Att : 2,525 | T : 2:21

CAR: 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 3 10 1
KAN: 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 x 4 9 0

WP: Bowen Plagge (2 - 4) LP: Edwin Jimenez (4 - 6) SV: Adisyn Coffey (7)

KANNAPOLIS – Both Eduarqui Fernandez and Jadher Areinamo had run scoring hits in the sixth, and Jose Sibrian extended his hitting streak to a career-high nine straight games with a RBI double in the eighth, but the Carolina Mudcats left a runner at third in the ninth and stranded 10 overall in a 4-3 loss to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

The Cannon Ballers (26-25, 52-65) took a 1-0 lead in the first after Jordan Sprinkle doubled and scored on a Troy Claunch RBI single off Carolina (28-23, 62-55) starter Edwin Jimenez. That 1-0 lead held through the fifth as Kannapolis starter Dylan Burns went five scoreless with four strikeouts and two walks.

With Burns out, the Mudcats eventually went up 2-1 after scoring twice with RBI singles from Fernandez and Areinamo in the sixth. Both run-scoring hits came off reliever Bowen Plagge who followed Burns for Kannapolis. Plagge allowed just the two runs over two innings and finished with four walks, four hits and one strikeout.

Carolina’s two-run sixth lifted the Mudcats into a 2-1 lead, but three Kannapolis runs in the last of that same inning put the Cannon Ballers up 4-2 on Jimenez and the Mudcats. Jimenez allowed four runs over six innings, but his only earned run allowed came in the first as all three sixth inning runs followed a Branlyn Jaraba fielding error at third.

Carolina scored once more in the eighth to trim the lead to 4-3 on a RBI double from Sibrian, but held scoreless the rest of the way while falling 4-3. The Mudcats did put themselves in position for one last run as Hendry Mendez doubled to start the Carolina ninth, but he was left on as closer Adisyn Coffey recorded three straight outs (including strikeouts from Jace Avina and Chirinos with Mendez at third) to finish the Kannapolis victory.

The victory, combined with a Fredericksburg Nationals loss to the Down East Wood Ducks, kept the Mudcats at 3.5 games back of the first place FredNats in the Carolina League North second half standings. Only 15 games remain this season.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Fernandez, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 RBI
Areinamo, SS (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
Mendez, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 2B
Avina, DH (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Sibrian, C (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Sprinkle, DH (Kannapolis): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Baldwin, 3B (Kannapolis): 2-for-4, 1 R
Claunch, C (Kannapolis): 3-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Bailey, LF (Kannapolis): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Jimenez (L, 4-6) (Carolina): 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
Vallecillo (Carolina): 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Burns (Kannapolis): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO
Ramage (H, 1) (Kannapolis): 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Coffey (S, 7) (Kannapolis): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:
Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Jordan Sprinkle doubles down the left-field line. Brooks Baldwin flies out to Hedbert Perez. Jordan Sprinkle steals 3rd base. Troy Claunch singles up the middle, Jordan Sprinkle scores. Tim Elko strikes out swinging. Benyamin Bailey grounds out, Edwin Jimenez to Jheremy Vargas to Jesus Chirinos.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 2, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Pitcher Change: Bowen Plagge replaces Dylan Burns. Hedbert Perez walks. Jace Avina walks, Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos walks, Hedbert Perez to 3rd; Jace Avina to 2nd. Eduarqui Fernandez singles to shallow left field, Hedbert Perez scores; Jace Avina to 3rd; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Jadher Areinamo singles to center field, Jace Avina scores; Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Eduarqui Fernandez to 2nd. Branlyn Jaraba grounds into a force out, Wilber Sanchez to Troy Claunch, Jesus Chirinos out at home, Eduarqui Fernandez to 3rd; Jadher Areinamo to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas grounds into double play, Bowen Plagge to Troy Claunch to Tim Elko, Eduarqui Fernandez out at home, Jheremy Vargas out at 1st.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 6th (Cannon Ballers 4, Mudcats 2) -- Wilber Sanchez grounds out, Jadher Areinamo to Jesus Chirinos. Jordan Sprinkle struck out looking. Brooks Baldwin singles through the hole at shortstop. Troy Claunch singles to left field, Brooks Baldwin to 2nd. Tim Elko reaches on fielding error by Branlyn Jaraba, Brooks Baldwin scores; Troy Claunch to 3rd; Tim Elko to 2nd. Benyamin Bailey doubles through the hole at shortstop, Troy Claunch scores; Tim Elko scores. Jacob Burke pops out to Branlyn Jaraba.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Cannon Ballers 4, Mudcats 3) -- Pitcher Change: Kole Ramage replaces Bowen Plagge. Eduarqui Fernandez grounds out, Brooks Baldwin to Tim Elko. Jadher Areinamo singles to right field. Branlyn Jaraba singles to right field, Jadher Areinamo to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas flies out to Misael Gonzalez, Jadher Areinamo to 3rd. Jose Sibrian doubles to left field, Jadher Areinamo scores; Branlyn Jaraba out at home on the throw, Benyamin Bailey to Wilber Sanchez to Troy Claunch.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)