Woodpeckers Hand Mudcats First Loss 8-4

ZEBULON – Joe Gray Jr. hit a two-run home run in the seventh and Zavier Warren homered in the ninth, but Shay Whitcomb’s four hit and three run night paced the Woodpeckers as Fayetteville handed Carolina its first loss of the season 8-4 on Friday night in Zebulon.

The Woodpeckers (1-3) struck first with a run in the opening frame after Zach Daniels doubled and scored on a wild pitch. The Fayetteville lead then increased to 3-0 in the fourth after Justin Dirden doubled in two runs off Carolina’s starter, and Creedmoor native, Justin Bullock.

Bullock (0-1), in his first start as a Mudcat, allowed three runs on four hits over five innings in the loss. He also walked one and struck out six

Carolina’s first run of the game came in the fifth when Joey Wiemer was hit by a pitch (third HBP of the season), stole second, tagged up to third and scored on a wild pitch. Wiemer’s run made it 3-1, but Fayetteville tacked on two more in the sixth on run scoring hits from pinch-hitter Matthew Barefoot and Yeuris Ramirez.

Brock Begue started the sixth for Carolina (3-1), but ended up retiring just two of five batters faced before leaving the game. Begue allowed two runs on two hits over 2/3 of an inning in his Carolina debut. Miguel Guerrero followed and would record an out to get out of the inning, but not before allowed one of his two inherited runners to score.

The Mudcats were down 5-1 before Gray crushed his two-run blast to left in the seventh. The homer was his first as a Mudcat and closed the Fayetteville lead to 5-3. Fayetteville answered Gray’s home run with three runs (one earned) against Abner Uribe in the eighth. Uribe originally worked a scoreless seventh before giving up three runs on two hits over an inning and 1/3.

Reliever Whit Drennan allowed Gray’s homer in the seventh and three runs overall, but left with the victory. Drennan (1-0) followed starter Jaime Melendez who totaled six strikeouts over four scoreless frames.

Warren’s homer in the ninth was his first as a pro and cut the Fayetteville lead to 8-4.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Gray Jr. (1, 7th inning off Drennan, 1 on, 0 out); Warren (1, 9th inning off Reina, 0 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Rodriguez, Ne, C (Fayetteville): 2-for-3, 2 R
Whitcomb, 2B (Fayetteville): 4-for-5, 3 R, 2 2B
Dirden, RF (Fayetteville): 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI
Gray Jr., RF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Warren, C (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Bullock (L, 0-1) (Carolina): 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
Robinson (Carolina): 1.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Melendez (Fayetteville): 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
Drennan (W, 1-0) (Fayetteville): 3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Reina (Fayetteville): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

* SCORING PLAYS:*

Woodpeckers 1st (Woodpeckers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Joe Perez strikes out swinging. Zach Daniels doubles to left field. J.C. Correa grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ashton McGee, Zach Daniels to 3rd. Wild pitch by Justin Bullock, Zach Daniels scores. Nerio Rodriguez walks. Shay Whitcomb strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 4th (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 0) -- J.C. Correa grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ashton McGee. Nerio Rodriguez singles to deep shortstop. Shay Whitcomb doubles to left field, Nerio Rodriguez to 3rd. Justin Dirden doubles through the hole at second base, Nerio Rodriguez scores; Shay Whitcomb scores. Luke Berryhill grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ashton McGee. Yeuris Ramirez grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ashton McGee.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 1) -- Pitcher Change: Whit Drennan replaces Jaime Melendez. Joey Wiemer hit by pitch. Joey Wiemer steals 2nd base. Joe Gray Jr. struck out looking. Zavier Warren flies out to Kenedy Corona, Joey Wiemer to 3rd. Wild pitch by Whit Drennan, Joey Wiemer scores. Ashton McGee struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Woodpeckers 6th (Woodpeckers 5, Mudcats 1) -- Pitcher Change: Brock Begue replaces Justin Bullock. J.C. Correa pops out to Gabe Holt. Nerio Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Shay Whitcomb doubles to left-center field. Passed ball by Zavier Warren, Shay Whitcomb to 3rd. Justin Dirden doubles to left-center field, Shay Whitcomb scores. Luke Berryhill walks. Pitcher Change: Miguel Guerrero replaces Brock Begue. Yeuris Ramirez singles to right-center field, Justin Dirden scores; Luke Berryhill to 3rd; Yeuris Ramirez to 2nd. Kenedy Corona flies out to Joey Wiemer.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Woodpeckers 5, Mudcats 3) -- Joey Wiemer walks. Joe Gray Jr. hits a home run to left-center field on a 3-1 pitch, Joey Wiemer scores. Zavier Warren flies out to Kenedy Corona. Ashton McGee struck out looking. Noah Campbell hit by pitch. Gabe Holt flies out to Kenedy Corona.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Woodpeckers 8th (Woodpeckers 8, Mudcats 3) -- Nerio Rodriguez walks. Shay Whitcomb singles to left-center field, Nerio Rodriguez to 2nd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Matthew Barefoot replaces Justin Dirden. Matthew Barefoot doubles to right field, Nerio Rodriguez scores; Shay Whitcomb to 3rd. Luke Berryhill strikes out swinging. Yeuris Ramirez strikes out swinging, Shay Whitcomb scores; Matthew Barefoot to 3rd; Yeuris Ramirez to 1st;wild pitch by Abner Uribe. Pitcher Change: Cam Robinson replaces Abner Uribe. Yeuris Ramirez steals 2nd base. Kenedy Corona reaches on a fielder's choice out, Felix Valerio to Zavier Warren, Matthew Barefoot out at home, Yeuris Ramirez to 3rd. Joe Perez singles to right field, Yeuris Ramirez scores; Kenedy Corona to 2nd. Zach Daniels strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Woodpeckers 8, Mudcats 4) -- Joey Wiemer grounds out, J.C. Correa to Yeuris Ramirez. Joe Gray Jr. flies out to Matthew Barefoot. Zavier Warren hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)