Wood Ducks Outlast Mudcats 12-10 in Series Opener

Down East 12 @ Carolina 10

July 22, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:01 PM | Att : 3,040 | T : 3:12

DE: 4 1 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 12 12 1

CAR: 2 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 10 15 3

WP: Nick Lockhart (2 - 1) LP: Stiven Cruz (3 - 4) SV: Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (5)

ZEBULON – Jackson Chourio had three doubles and three runs, Hendry Mendez extended his hit streak to 11 games with a three hit night, Alberis Ferrer also had three hits and Jeferson Quero drove in three runs, but the Down East Wood Ducks outlasted the Carolina Mudcats 12-10 on Friday night at Five County Stadium. The Mudcats (9-13, 43-45) outhit the Wood Ducks (13-8, 46-41), but ended up leaving 12 men on base, including three in the ninth, while losing the opener of the three-game series.

Stiven Cruz started for the Mudcats and immediately fell behind after allowing four runs on five hits in the first while seeing the Wood Ducks jump out to an early 4-0 lead. Marcus Smith, Cam Cauley and Ian Moller each had run-scoring hits in the first for Down East off Cruz.

Carolina came right back with back-to-back doubles from Mendez and Chourio off Down East starter Gavin Collyer in the last of the first while cutting the deficit to 4-2. Maximo Acosta homered off Cruz to start the second to make it 5-2, but a single from Jose Sibrian, a Chourio RBI double and a RBI single from Quero brought Carolina within one again at 5-4 in the second.

Neither side scored in the third, but the Wood Ducks went on to score three more runs off Cruz (3-4) in the fourth while taking an 8-4 lead. That inning saw an RBI double from Daniel Mateo and an Alejandro Osuna two-run home run. Cruz left after the fourth and wound up with the loss after allowing a career-high eight runs on a career-high 11 hits. He also struck out five and walked two over his four inning start.

Reliever Pablo Garabitos replaced Cruz in the fifth and went on to toss two scoreless frames while keeping the Mudcats in the game. The Carolina offense would then go on to score twice in the fifth and once in the sixth while getting within one at 8-7. Hedbert Perez and Eduardo Garcia both had RBI hits in the fifth, with Perez’s double scoring Chourio after he started the inning with his third double of the night. Quero, like he did in the second, brought Carolina within one with his second two run-scoring hits in the game.

Down East would later break things open with four unearned runs in the seventh off reliever Jeison Pena. Ferrer missed a throw home from third in a bases loaded spot and was charged with his 15th error of the season during the four run Down East seventh. The Mudcats would eventually rally for three runs in the ninth, but left the bases loaded while dropping the series opener 12-10. Their final three runs scored on a passed ball, a fielding error and bases loaded walk.

Reliever Damien Mendoza allowed Carolina’s three runs in the ninth, but only one was earned. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (5) eventually replaced Mendoza in the ninth and would leave the bases loaded while facing just one batter and earning the save. Reliever Nick Lockhart (2-1) earned the win while going through an inning and 2/3 with just one run allowed on two hits.

Carolina left three men on in the ninth and 12 total in the loss. They also went just 7-for-22 with runners in scoring position. Carolina also allowed 12 runs, with only seven earned, as they committed three errors in the game.

The loss dropped the Mudcats into a 1-0 deficit in the series and into an 11-11 tie in the overall season series between the two teams. The series will continue with game two of three on Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. in Zebulon.

HOME RUNS:

Down East: Acosta, M (3, 2nd inning off Cruz, 0 on, 0 out); Osuna, A (8, 4th inning off Cruz, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 3-for-6, 3 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

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

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

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

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Acosta, M, SS (Down East): 2-for-5, 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Smith, M, RF (Down East): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Osuna, A, LF (Down East): 1-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Rodriguez, J, DH (Down East): 2-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Garabitos (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Pena, Je (Carolina): 3 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO

Lockhart (W, 2-1) (Down East): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

Teodo (Down East): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Hoopii-Tuionetoa (S, 5) (Down East): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING PLAYS:
Wood Ducks 1st (Wood Ducks 4, Mudcats 0) -- Maximo Acosta singles to center field. Daniel Mateo grounds out, Alberis Ferrer to Jesus Chirinos, Maximo Acosta to 2nd. Marcus Smith doubles to left field, Maximo Acosta scores. Alejandro Osuna reaches on fielding error by Zack Raabe, Marcus Smith to 3rd. Alejandro Osuna steals 2nd base, Marcus Smith steals home. Cameron Cauley doubles to left field, Alejandro Osuna scores. Cameron Cauley steals 3rd base, Cameron Cauley scores; throwing error by Jeferson Quero. Jose Rodriguez singles to center field. Ian Moller singles to center field, Jose Rodriguez to 2nd. Abimelec Ortiz strikes out swinging. Junior Paniagua struck out looking.
(4 Runs, 5 Hits, 2 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 1st (Wood Ducks 4, Mudcats 2) -- Hendry Mendez doubles to left field. Jackson Chourio doubles to right field, Hendry Mendez scores. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Cameron Cauley to Abimelec Ortiz, Jackson Chourio to 3rd. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging, Ian Moller to Abimelec Ortiz. Eduardo Garcia walks. Alberis Ferrer singles to left-center field, Jackson Chourio scores; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 2nd (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 2) -- Maximo Acosta hits a home run to left field on a 0-0 pitch. Daniel Mateo strikes out swinging. Marcus Smith walks. Marcus Smith caught stealing 2nd base, Jeferson Quero to Eduardo Garcia. Alejandro Osuna strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 4) -- Jose Sibrian singles to center field. Zack Raabe flies out to Daniel Mateo. Hendry Mendez flies out to Daniel Mateo. Jackson Chourio doubles to right-center field, Jose Sibrian scores. Jeferson Quero singles to center field, Jackson Chourio scores. Hedbert Perez flies out to Marcus Smith.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 4th (Wood Ducks 8, Mudcats 4) -- Junior Paniagua bunt singles to shallow left field. Maximo Acosta out on a sacrifice bunt, Alberis Ferrer to Jesus Chirinos, Junior Paniagua to 2nd. Daniel Mateo doubles to left-center field, Junior Paniagua scores. Marcus Smith flies out to Hedbert Perez. Alejandro Osuna hits a home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch, Daniel Mateo scores. Cameron Cauley walks. Jose Rodriguez grounds out, Zack Raabe to Jesus Chirinos.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Wood Ducks 8, Mudcats 6) -- Jackson Chourio doubles to left-center field. Jeferson Quero flies out to Alejandro Osuna. Hedbert Perez doubles to right-center field, Jackson Chourio scores. Eduardo Garcia singles to right field, Hedbert Perez to 3rd. Alberis Ferrer singles to left-center field, Hedbert Perez scores; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Nick Lockhart replaces Gavin Collyer. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging. Jose Sibrian grounds out, Cameron Cauley to Abimelec Ortiz.
(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Wood Ducks 8, Mudcats 7) -- Zack Raabe strikes out swinging. Hendry Mendez singles to right field. Wild pitch by Nick Lockhart, Hendry Mendez to 2nd. Jackson Chourio flies out to Marcus Smith. Jeferson Quero doubles to left field, Hendry Mendez scores. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 12, Mudcats 7) -- Pitcher Change: Jeison Pena replaces Pablo Garabitos. Jose Rodriguez flies out to Hedbert Perez. Ian Moller walks. Ian Moller steals 2nd base. Abimelec Ortiz walks. Junior Paniagua hit by pitch, Ian Moller to 3rd; Abimelec Ortiz to 2nd. Maximo Acosta reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Alberis Ferrer, Ian Moller scores; Abimelec Ortiz scores; Junior Paniagua to 3rd; Maximo Acosta to 2nd; throwing error by Alberis Ferrer. Daniel Mateo flies out to Hendry Mendez. Marcus Smith singles through the hole at second base, Junior Paniagua scores; Maximo Acosta scores. Marcus Smith caught stealing 2nd base, Jeferson Quero to Eduardo Garcia.
(4 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Wood Ducks 12, Mudcats 10) -- Eduardo Garcia singles to center field. Alberis Ferrer singles through the hole at second base, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Jheremy Vargas replaces Eduardo Garcia. Jesus Chirinos walks, Alberis Ferrer to 2nd. Passed ball by Ian Moller, Jheremy Vargas scores; Alberis Ferrer to 3rd; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Jose Sibrian lines out to Abimelec Ortiz. Zack Raabe reaches on fielding error by Maximo Acosta, Alberis Ferrer scores; Jesus Chirinos to 3rd. Hendry Mendez hit by pitch, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Jackson Chourio strikes out swinging. Jeferson Quero walks, Jesus Chirinos scores; Zack Raabe to 3rd; Hendry Mendez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa replaces Damian Mendoza. Hedbert Perez pops out to Maximo Acosta.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 3 LOB)