Warren Leads the Way in 10-6 Series Clinching Victory

ZEBULON – Zavier Warren went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI, Joe Gray Jr. drove in three and crushed his seventh triple of the season and starter Nick Belzer won his third straight start as the Mudcats defeated the visiting Woodpeckers 10-6 with 4,099 on hand on Saturday night at Five County Stadium. The victory clinched a series win for the Low-A East Central division leading Mudcats and was the club’s third straight.

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault's Post-Game Interview

Carolina (25-15) took a four games to one lead in the six game series with Saturday’s home win. The Mudcats also moved to two games ahead of the Down East Wood Ducks in the Low-A East Central standings as the Wood Ducks lost earlier in the night. Fayetteville (15-25) fell to 10.0 games back of Carolina in the standings with the loss.

Warren set a career high with four hits in the series clinching victory. He also drove in two and hit his fifth home run of the season. Gray went 2-for-4 with three RBI and his baseball leading seventh triple of the season. His three RBI night also lifted his MiLB leading RBI total to 45 on the season.

Belzer (3-1, 4.22) earned the victory after holding Fayetteville to two runs on three hits over five innings pitched. He also walked two and struck out four while earning his third consecutive win.

After Fayetteville scored first with a run in the second, the Mudcats bounced back with three runs in the same frame to take an early 3-1 lead. That frame saw Arbert Cipion bring in the tying run with a single to left and a two-run single by Gabe Holt that broke the tie to make it 3-1. Cipion’s single came off rehabbing big leaguer Austin Pruitt, while Holt’s came off reliever Cesar Gomez.

Pruitt (0-2, 11.57) suffered the loss and was charged with three runs allowed over an inning and 1/3. Gomez allowed two inherited runners to sored in the second and two others over his four and 1/3 inning appearance. He was later followed by Fabrico Reina who allowed five runs on five hits over an inning and 2/3.

Carolina added one more in the third after Felix Valerio doubled and scored on a single from Joey Wiemer. The two teams then went on to trade runs the rest of the way with Fayetteville getting a run across in both the fifth and sixth to tighten things up at 4-3. Carolina then brought across one more in the sixth when Gray was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 5-3.

The Woodpeckers scored again in the seventh to cut it to one again at 5-4. That frame also nearly saw two runs, but Warren caught a runner at home attempting to score on a ground ball to first. Warren prevented a run from scoring with that play in the seventh and then started the Carolina half of the seventh with a solo home run.

The Mudcats led 6-4 going into the eighth, but went on to break things open with a four run frame. Carolina’s eighth began with a walk by Holt and continued with a Freddy Zamora single, Gray’s two-run triple, a Valerio RBI double and another run scoring hit from Warren.

Reliever Michele Vassalotti followed Belzer in the sixth and went on to work into the seventh before seeing Juan Geraldo enter and close out the game. Vassalotti allowed two runs on three hits over an inning and 1/3 and picked up his second hold. Geraldo (S, 2) also allowed two runs on three hits over two and 2/3 while earning the save.

The series concludes on Sunday with Carolina sending LHP Brandon Knarr to the mound for the start. Tickets are available at www.carolinamudcats.com and at 919-269-2287.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Warren (5, 7th inning off Reina, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Rodriguez, Ne, C (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Urdaneta, LF (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Warren, 1B (Carolina): 4-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Valerio, F, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Holt, DH (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Belzer (W, 3-1) (Carolina): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

Vassalotti (H, 2) (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Geraldo (S, 2) (Carolina): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Gomez (Fayetteville): 4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

Drennan (Fayetteville): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Woodpeckers 2nd (Woodpeckers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Nerio Rodriguez hit by pitch. Justin Dirden strikes out swinging. Zach Daniels hit by pitch, Nerio Rodriguez to 2nd. Yeuris Ramirez grounds out to Zavier Warren, Nerio Rodriguez to 3rd; Zach Daniels to 2nd. Wild pitch by Nick Belzer, Nerio Rodriguez scores; Zach Daniels to 3rd. Ronaldo Urdaneta struck out looking.

(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 1) -- Zavier Warren singles to left-center field. Joey Wiemer walks, Zavier Warren to 2nd. Darrien Miller grounds into a force out, J.C. Correa to Shay Whitcomb, Zavier Warren to 3rd; Joey Wiemer out at 2nd. Daniel Castillo singles to right-center field, Zavier Warren scores; Darrien Miller to 2nd. Arbert Cipion singles to shallow left field, Darrien Miller to 3rd; Daniel Castillo to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Cesar Gomez replaces Austin Pruitt. Gabe Holt singles to right-center field, Darrien Miller scores; Daniel Castillo scores; Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Arbert Cipion steals 3rd base, Gabe Holt steals 2nd base. Freddy Zamora grounds out, Yeuris Ramirez to J.C. Correa. Joe Gray Jr. pops out to Shay Whitcomb.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 1) -- Felix Valerio doubles to right-center field. Zavier Warren strikes out swinging. Joey Wiemer singles up the middle, Felix Valerio scores. Darrien Miller pops out to Shay Whitcomb. Daniel Castillo grounds out, Yeuris Ramirez to J.C. Correa.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 5th (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 2) -- Ronaldo Urdaneta singles to right-center field. Kenedy Corona grounds out, Felix Valerio to Zavier Warren, Ronaldo Urdaneta to 2nd. Ronaldo Urdaneta steals 3rd base. Shay Whitcomb singles up the middle, Ronaldo Urdaneta scores. Nick Belzer picks off Shay Whitcomb at on throw to Zavier Warren. Yohander Martinez flies out to Joe Gray Jr.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Woodpeckers 6th (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 3) -- Pitcher Change: Michele Vassalotti replaces Nick Belzer. J.C. Correa flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Nerio Rodriguez singles up the middle. Justin Dirden doubles to right-center field, Nerio Rodriguez to 3rd. Zach Daniels walks. Yeuris Ramirez grounds out, Daniel Castillo to Zavier Warren, Nerio Rodriguez scores; Justin Dirden to 3rd; Zach Daniels to 2nd. Ronaldo Urdaneta lines out to Freddy Zamora.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 3) -- Darrien Miller singles through the hole at second base. Daniel Castillo strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion pops out to Shay Whitcomb in foul territory. Gabe Holt doubles to right-center field, Darrien Miller to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Fabricio Reina replaces Cesar Gomez. Freddy Zamora walks. Joe Gray Jr. hit by pitch, Darrien Miller scores; Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Felix Valerio struck out looking.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Woodpeckers 7th (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 4) -- Kenedy Corona hits a ground rule double to right field. Shay Whitcomb hit by pitch. Kenedy Corona steals 3rd base, Shay Whitcomb steals 2nd base. Yohander Martinez out on a sacrifice fly to Joey Wiemer, Kenedy Corona scores; Shay Whitcomb to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Juan Geraldo replaces Michele Vassalotti. J.C. Correa reaches on a fielder's choice out, Zavier Warren to Darrien Miller, Shay Whitcomb out at home. J.C. Correa steals 2nd base. Nerio Rodriguez grounds out, Daniel Castillo to Zavier Warren.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 4) -- Zavier Warren hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Joey Wiemer struck out looking. Darrien Miller struck out looking. Daniel Castillo walks. Wild pitch by Fabricio Reina, Daniel Castillo to 2nd. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 10, Woodpeckers 4) -- Gabe Holt walks. Freddy Zamora singles to center field, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Joe Gray Jr. triples to right-center field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora scores. Felix Valerio doubles to center field, Joe Gray Jr. scores. Felix Valerio steals 3rd base. Zavier Warren singles to right field, Felix Valerio scores. Joey Wiemer strikes out on foul tip. Pitcher Change: Whit Drennan replaces Fabricio Reina. Darrien Miller strikes out swinging. Daniel Castillo struck out looking.

(4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 9th (Mudcats 10, Woodpeckers 6) -- Ronaldo Urdaneta doubles to center field. Kenedy Corona struck out looking. Shay Whitcomb walks. Ronaldo Urdaneta steals 3rd base, Shay Whitcomb steals 2nd base. Yohander Martinez grounds out, Felix Valerio to Zavier Warren, Ronaldo Urdaneta scores; Shay Whitcomb to 3rd. J.C. Correa singles to right-center field, Shay Whitcomb scores.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)