Carolina Catches Final Out Trying to Steal Home in 8-7 Victory

ZEBULON – Reliever Abner Uribe and catcher Zavier Warren foiled Brian Arias’ attempt to steal home with two outs in the ninth to seal Carolina’s 8-7 victory versus Fayetteville on Thursday night at Five County Stadium. Uribe struck out five over three scoreless and earned the save. Felix Valerio walked three times, was hit by a pitch and went 1-for-1 with a RBI single while reaching safely five times and extending his hitting streak to 12 straight games.

The Woodpeckers (15-23) totaled nine stolen bases in the game, but Carolina (23-15) managed to limit the damage while getting two caught steals late to hold on for the win. The final out of the game was a caught steal as Uribe and catcher Warren combined to catch Arias attempting to steal home to win the game.

Uribe (S, 2) earned the save while working through three scoreless frames with five strikeouts. Miguel Guerrero pitched the fifth and sixth and ended up with the victory despite allowing three runs in the fifth. Guerrero (2-0, 3.98) also worked a scoreless sixth, and allowed three runs on three hits and walked one in the victory. Brock Begue started and gave up four runs and three hits over four innings.

Fayetteville led first in the game after Shay Whitcomb singled and scored in the first. The Mudcats, however, came back with five runs in the bottom of that same frame to go up 5-1 against starter Peyton Plumlee and reliever Jose Betances. Plumlee allowed five runs (one earned) and ended up recording just two outs in the first before leaving the game in the opening frame. Betances, meanwhile, pitched through three innings in relief and allowed just one run on two hits.

Carolina’s five run first included a RBI single from Valerio, a run scoring bases loaded hit-by-pitch from Ernesto Martinez, a RBI single from Ashton McGee and a two-run hit from Arbert Cipion. Fayetteville went on to score twice in the second to pull within two at 5-3 and each side later scored a run in the fourth before Luke Berryhill put the Woodpeckers up 7-6 in the fifth with a two-run home run. Carolina did answer with a game-tying run in the last of the fifth when Gabe Holt singled in Joey Wiemer from third with an infield hit to third. Wiemer originally started the fifth with a double before scoring on Holt’s infield hit.

Carolina then managed to break what was a 7-7 tie in the sixth after a balk scored Valerio as the go-ahead and eventual game winning run. Valerio originally reached on a walk in the sixth and went on to steal both second and third before scoring on a balk by Diosmerky Taveras to put Carolina up 8-7.

Taveras (0-2, 5.40) took the loss after allowing two runs and three hits over three and 1/3 innings pitched. He also struck out seven and walked two.

The Mudcats took a 2-1 lead in the six-game series with Thursday’s victory. The series continues on Friday night with Carolina sending LHP Brendan Murphy to the mound for the start. Tickets are available at www.carolinamudcats.com and at 919-269-2287.

HOME RUNS:
Fayetteville HR : Berryhill (4, 5th inning off Guerrero, 1 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Whitcomb, SS (Fayetteville): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI
Arias, DH (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Berryhill, C (Fayetteville): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Valerio, F, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-1, 2 R, 1 RBI
Holt, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI
Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R
Cipion, LF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Begue (Carolina): 4 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
Guerrero (W, 2-0) (Carolina): 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Uribe (S, 2) (Carolina): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
Betances (Fayetteville): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Taveras (L, 0-2) (Fayetteville): 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
Holcomb (Fayetteville): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

SCORING PLAYS:
Woodpeckers 1st (Woodpeckers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Shay Whitcomb singles to left field. Wild pitch by Brock Begue, Shay Whitcomb to 2nd. Jordan Brewer flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Shay Whitcomb steals 3rd base. Bryan Arias reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Ernesto Martinez, Shay Whitcomb scores. Justin Dirden struck out looking, Bryan Arias steals 2nd base. Bryan Arias steals 3rd base. Yohander Martinez walks. Luke Berryhill flies out to Arbert Cipion.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 1) -- Gabe Holt singles to right-center field. Freddy Zamora reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Peyton Plumlee. throwing error by Peyton Plumlee. Joe Gray Jr. walks, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Felix Valerio singles to center field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Joe Gray Jr. to 2nd. Ernesto Martinez hit by pitch, Freddy Zamora scores; Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Zavier Warren struck out looking. Joey Wiemer strikes out on foul tip. Ashton McGee singles to right field, Joe Gray Jr. scores; Felix Valerio to 3rd; Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Jose Betances replaces Peyton Plumlee. Arbert Cipion singles up the middle, Felix Valerio scores; Ernesto Martinez scores; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Gabe Holt grounds out, Yohander Martinez to Jose Alvarez.
(5 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Woodpeckers 2nd (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 3) -- Kenedy Corona walks. Jose Alvarez flies out to Joey Wiemer. Kenedy Corona steals 2nd base. Ronaldo Urdaneta walks. Kenedy Corona steals 3rd base, Ronaldo Urdaneta steals 2nd base. Kenedy Corona scores on a balk; Ronaldo Urdaneta advances to 3rd on a balk. Shay Whitcomb grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ernesto Martinez, Ronaldo Urdaneta scores. Jordan Brewer flies out to Joey Wiemer.
(2 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Woodpeckers 4th (Mudcats 5, Woodpeckers 4) -- Kenedy Corona reaches on fielding error by Freddy Zamora. Jose Alvarez singles to right-center field, Kenedy Corona to 3rd. Ronaldo Urdaneta out on a sacrifice fly to Arbert Cipion, Kenedy Corona scores. Jose Alvarez steals 2nd base. Shay Whitcomb flies out to Joe Gray Jr., Jose Alvarez to 3rd. Jordan Brewer struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 4) -- Arbert Cipion struck out looking. Gabe Holt lines out to Yohander Martinez. Freddy Zamora walks. Joe Gray Jr. singles to right field, Freddy Zamora to 3rd. Joe Gray Jr. steals 2nd base. Felix Valerio walks. Pitcher Change: Diosmerky Taveras replaces Jose Betances. Wild pitch by Diosmerky Taveras, Freddy Zamora scores; Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Ernesto Martinez walks. Zavier Warren grounds out, Shay Whitcomb to Jose Alvarez.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Woodpeckers 5th (Woodpeckers 7, Mudcats 6) -- Pitcher Change: Miguel Guerrero replaces Brock Begue. Bryan Arias doubles to right-center field. Justin Dirden singles to left-center field, Bryan Arias to 3rd; Justin Dirden to 2nd. Wild pitch by Miguel Guerrero, Bryan Arias scores; Justin Dirden to 3rd. Yohander Martinez grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ernesto Martinez. Luke Berryhill hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch, Justin Dirden scores. Kenedy Corona walks. Kenedy Corona steals 2nd base. Jose Alvarez grounds out to Miguel Guerrero, Kenedy Corona to 3rd. Ronaldo Urdaneta flies out to Joey Wiemer.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Woodpeckers 7, Mudcats 7) -- Joey Wiemer doubles to right field. Ashton McGee struck out looking. Arbert Cipion grounds out, Shay Whitcomb to Jose Alvarez, Joey Wiemer to 3rd. Gabe Holt singles to deep shortstop, Joey Wiemer scores. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 8, Woodpeckers 7) -- Joe Gray Jr. struck out looking. Felix Valerio walks. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging, Felix Valerio to 2nd;wild pitch by Diosmerky Taveras. Felix Valerio steals 3rd base. Felix Valerio scores on a balk. Zavier Warren singles to left-center field. Joey Wiemer struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)