Mudcats fall in extras on a walk-off grand slam

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Winston-Salem's Zack Collins hit a walk-off grand slam in the eleventh while leading the Dash to a series clinching 8-4 victory against the Mudcats on Monday night at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem. Reliever Frank Lopez allowed three hits, including the walk-off homer in the eleventh and took the loss.

The Mudcats (45-42, 9-10) won just one game in the three game series while losing in a series with the Dash (33-56, 9-10) for the first time all season. Collins sealed the series victory with his walk-off grand slam in the eleventh and was 3-for-5 in the game with two runs and five RBIs. 
Carolina led first at 1-0 in the first, but the Dash came back with a run in the same frame to tie the game at 1-1. Winston-Salem also scored twice in the third and had led 3-1 before the Mudcats came back with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to take the lead. Winston-Salem then answered by taking advantage of an error in the seventh while scoring an unearned run to tie the game and eventually force extras.
Trent Clark scored the game's first run after walking and coming across on a RBI sacrifice fly from Corey Ray in the first. Clark also doubled, scored and a drove in a run in the seventh and was 2-for-3 with two runs, two walks and a RBI in the Carolina loss.
Cody Ponce started for the Mudcats and allowed a game tying RBI single to Collins in the first and a go-ahead, two-run single to Seby Zavala in the third. Ponce went on to finish the third, but left with one out in the fourth and with three runs allowed on seven hits. He also walked two, struck out four and threw just 67 pitches (41 strikes) in the game.
Jimmy Lambert started for the Dash and held Winston-Salem's lead through the fifth while allowing two runs on six hits over six innings pitched. He also walked four and struck out two.
The Mudcats scored once in the first against Lambert and once more in the sixth while pulling within one at 3-2 in the game. Jake Gatewood singled and scored from third later in the inning when Lucas Erceg was caught stealing second. The Mudcats scored twice in the seventh on a RBI double from Clark and a flare RBI single from Ray and led 4-3 before the Dash came back with an unearned run in the same frame.
Brad Kuntz, who originally entered the game in place of Ponce in the fourth, struck out Booker to start the seventh, but a wild pitch allowed Booker to first and a throwing error by catcher Cooper Hummel moved him to second. Booker later scored the tying run on a RBI single from Telvin Nash and the Dash tied it up at 4-4.
Kuntz left before Nash's game tying single and finished with one unearned run allowed on one hit over three innings pitched. He also struck out four and did not issue a walk. Wuilder Rodriguez followed Kuntz in the seventh and allowed the Nash single to tie the game. In all, Rodriguez (BS, 1) struck out one, allowed one inherited runner to score and gave up just one hit over three and 2/3 innings.
Lopez (2-3, 10.45) later took over for the final frame and went on to allow one-out singles to both Toby Thomas and Luis Basabe before intentionally walking Danny Mendick. He then gave up the grand slam to Collins with his first pitch of the at-bat.
Ryan Riga struck out the side in the eleventh and earned the win for the Dash. Riga (1-4, 4.93) was preceded by relievers Louie Lechich and Jack Charleston in the Dash victory. Lechich (BS, 2) allowed two runs on one hit over an inning and 1/3 and Charleston held the Mudcats scoreless over three and 2/3 innings. Charleston also struck out four and did not issue a walk.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats are off on Tuesday and will return to baseball action on Wednesday at Five County Stadium versus the Down East Wood Ducks. Wednesday's game will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Zebulon and will air on the Mudcats Radio Network at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
# # #