Binelas Blasts Big Fly in Streak Snapping 4-3 Loss

Carolina 3 @ Fredericksburg 4

August 25, 2021 | Venue : FredNats Ballpark | First pitch : 7:05 PM | Att : 2,998 | T : 2:36

CAR: 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 9 2
FBG: 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 x 4 6 0

WP: Gilberto Chu (3 - 0) LP: Nick Belzer (6 - 4) SV: Cole Quintanilla (1)

FREDERICKSBURG – Alex Binelas hit a solo home run in the fourth, Tyler Black had a RBI single in the first and Sal Frelick went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple to stretch his hitting streak to 11 consecutive games, but the Mudcats snapped a seven game winning streak with a 4-3 loss to the Fredericksburg Nationals on Wednesday night at FredNats Ballpark.

Carolina (60-38) scored first in the game after getting a leadoff double from Frelick and a run-scoring single from Black in the opening frame. FredNats (34-64) starter Dustin Saenz allowed just the one first inning run despite giving up those two hits and four hits overall in the opening frame. That theme would hold throughout the rest of the night as Carolina outhit the Nationals 9-6 overall in the 4-3 loss.

Carolina’s 1-0 lead disappeared in the last of the first after starter Nick Belzer saw a couple of runs come across on two hits. Belzer (6-4, 3.55) walked Jacob Young to start the first, but then saw Brandon Bossiere reach on catcher’s interference two batters later. With one out and two on, the Nationals went on to get two straight RBI singles from Onix Vega and Jake Randa.

Fredericksburg went on to add another run in the second on a sacrifice fly from Jake Boone and had a 3-1 lead before Carolina scored again in the fourth. That fourth inning run came on Binelas’ home run to deep right-center. It was his second homer since joining the Mudcats and it cut the deficit to 3-2.

The FredNats answered the Binelas home run with one of their own as Leandro Emiliani hit a solo blast to right to make it 4-2. That home run was Emiliani’s second with Fredericksburg and came off Belzer in what was his fourth and final inning of work.

Belzer took the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) and six hits over four innings pitched. He also walked two and did not record a strikeout for the first time this season.

The Mudcats did eventually score again in the seventh when Micah Bello singled and scored on a sac fly from Frelick. That run cut the deficit just one, and was one of two allowed in by reliever Gilberto Chu, but would not be enough as Carolina would lose 4-3.

Chu (3-0, 2.91) improved to 3-0 on the season after earning the win in relief of Saenz. Chu struck out six and allowed just two runs on five hits over five innings and earned the win. Cole Quintanilla earned the save in what was his Low-A East and FredNats debut.

Nate Peden followed Belzer for Carolina and turned in three stellar, and three shutout innings in relief. Peden struck out three, walked one and faced just one over the minimum in his three-inning appearance. He also recorded nine straight outs after walking his first batter faced. Justin Miller worked the eighth and pitched around a walk by getting a double play turned behind him by Black and Murray.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Binelas (2, 4th inning off Chu, 0 on, 0 out).

Fredericksburg HR : Emiliani (2, 4th inning off Belzer, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Emiliani, DH (Fredericksburg): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

De La Rosa, LF (Fredericksburg): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Vega, C (Fredericksburg): 1-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Randa, RF (Fredericksburg): 1-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

Frelick, CF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Belzer (L, 6-4) (Carolina): 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO

Peden (Carolina): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

Miller, J (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Saenz (Fredericksburg): 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Chu (W, 3-0) (Fredericksburg): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

Quintanilla (S, 1) (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Nationals 0) -- Sal Frelick doubles through the hole at shortstop. Ethan Murray grounds out, Jake Boone to Branden Boissiere, Sal Frelick to 3rd. Tyler Black singles through the hole at second base, Sal Frelick scores. Alex Binelas singles up the middle, Tyler Black to 2nd. Wes Clarke singles through the hole at shortstop, Tyler Black to 3rd; Alex Binelas to 2nd. Noah Campbell grounds into double play, Dustin Saenz to Onix Vega to Branden Boissiere, Tyler Black out at home, Noah Campbell out at 1st.
(1 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Nationals 1st (Nationals 2, Mudcats 1) -- Jacob Young walks. Jacob Young steals 2nd base. Darren Baker lines out to Sal Frelick, Jacob Young to 3rd. Branden Boissiere reaches on catcher interference by Darrien Miller, Branden Boissiere to 1st;. Wild pitch by Nick Belzer, Branden Boissiere to 2nd. Onix Vega singles through the hole at shortstop, Jacob Young scores; Branden Boissiere to 3rd. Jake Randa singles to right-center field, Branden Boissiere scores; Onix Vega to 2nd. Jose Sanchez flies out to Tyler Black. Leandro Emiliani grounds out, Tyler Black to Wes Clarke.(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Nationals 2nd (Nationals 3, Mudcats 1) -- Jeremy De La Rosa singles to right-center field. Throwing error by Nick Belzer on the pickoff attempt. Jake Boone out on a sacrifice fly to Sal Frelick, Jeremy De La Rosa scores. Jacob Young lines out to Ethan Murray. Darren Baker singles to deep shortstop. Darren Baker caught stealing 2nd base, Darrien Miller to Ethan Murray.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Nationals 3, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Gilberto Chu replaces Dustin Saenz. Alex Binelas hits a home run to right-center field on a 3-2 pitch. Wes Clarke strikes out on foul tip. Noah Campbell doubles to right-center field. Micah Bello strikes out swinging. Darrien Miller grounds out, Branden Boissiere to Gilberto Chu.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Nationals 4th (Nationals 4, Mudcats 2) -- Jose Sanchez flies out to Micah Bello. Leandro Emiliani hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Jeremy De La Rosa walks. Jake Boone singles to right field, Jeremy De La Rosa to 2nd. Jacob Young grounds out, Nick Belzer to Wes Clarke, Jeremy De La Rosa to 3rd; Jake Boone to 2nd. Darren Baker lines out to Ethan Murray.

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

Mudcats 7th (Nationals 4, Mudcats 3) -- Micah Bello singles to left field. Darrien Miller singles down the right-field line, Micah Bello to 3rd. Andre Nnebe struck out looking. Sal Frelick out on a sacrifice fly to Jeremy De La Rosa, Micah Bello scores. Ethan Murray flies out to Jacob Young.

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