Carolina’s Win Streak Ends at Six After 15-7 Loss

Down East 15 @ Carolina 7

July 20, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:01 PM | Att : 1,552 | T : 3:34

WP: Connor Sechler (1 - 0) LP: Michele Vassalotti (3 - 4)

ZEBULON – The Wood Ducks scored 15 runs on the Mudcats for the second time this season while taking Tuesday’s series opener 15-7 at Five County Stadium. The loss snapped a six-game win streak for the Mudcats and came in the first game of a six-day and seven-game series between the first place Mudcats and second place Wood Ducks.

The game was originally tied 1-1 through the second before the Wood Ducks (37-29) rallied for four runs in the third while taking a 5-1 lead on starter Michele Vassalotti and the Mudcats (40-26). That four-run frame was eventually answered by three Carolina runs in the fourth as the Mudcats pulled within one at 5-4. That one run difference quickly changed when the Wood Ducks scored five times in the fifth while taking a 10-5 before scoring twice in the seventh, twice in the eighth and once more in the ninth. The 15-7 Down East victory pulled the Wood Ducks within three games of the Low-A East Central division leading Mudcats.

Vassalotti (3-4, 6.88) took the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits over four plus innings pitched. He started the ballgame with back-to-back strikeouts, but then gave up a hit, hit two batters and walked one while allowing a run in the first. He then tossed a scoreless second before giving up four runs in the third. One of those runs ended up unearned as catcher Alex Hall dropped a tag at the plate, allowing a run to score. Vassalotti then struck out the side in the fourth, but left after facing a couple of batters in the fifth.

Juan Geraldo followed and went on to allow both inherited runners to score in the fifth. He also gave up three other runs and two more in the seventh before leaving the game. Brock Begue pitched the eighth and gave up a home run to Keybar Rodriguez.

Rodriguez drove in one of four Down East runs in the third with his first of three run-scoring hits and four hits overall in the game. Rodriguez also had a RBI single in the sixth and the aforementioned two-run home run in the eighth. Overall, Rodriguez went 4-for-4 with four runs and three RBI for the Wood Ducks.

The Wood Ducks additionally received multi-hit games from Dustin Harris who went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Angel Aponte and his 3-for-5, two runs and two RBI night.

Hall drove in Carolina’s first run of the game with a RBI single in the first. Hall did not start, but entered in the middle of the first in place of starting catcher Zavier Warren. That run-scoring hit from Hall answered the one run allowed in on a wild pitch in the first and tied the game at 1-1.

Ashton McGee drove in two of Carolina’s three runs in the fourth with a two-run double off reliever Eudrys Manon. That three-run frame cut the lead to 5-4, but Rodriguez, Osuna, Jayce Easley and Keithron Moss followed with run-scoring at bats in the fifth as the Wood Ducks went up 10-4. McGee went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk and two RBI in the loss. He also pitched the ninth and allowed a run.

The Mudcats also saw multi-hit games from Noah Campbell and Mike Wilson who both went 2-for-4 with Campbell scoring twice and Wilson driving in two.

The series will continue on Wednesday evening with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. The Wood Ducks lead the series 1-0.

HOME RUNS:

Down East HR : Rodriguez, K (3, 8th inning off Begue, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Rodriguez, K, 3B (Down East): 4-for-4, 4 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Aponte, RF (Down East): 3-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Harris, 1B (Down East): 3-for-4, 3 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Osuna, A, LF (Down East): 2-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Easley, CF (Down East): 2-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
McGee, 1B-P (Carolina): 2-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Campbell, LF-3B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Wilson, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Martinez, E, DH-1B (Carolina): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Begue (Carolina): 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Collyer (Down East): 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Sechler (W, 1-0) (Down East): 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Mraz (Down East): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

*SCORING PLAYS: *
Wood Ducks 1st (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 0) -- Keithron Moss struck out looking. Luisangel Acuna struck out looking. Dustin Harris singles to left-center field. Cody Freeman hit by pitch, Dustin Harris to 2nd. Cristian Inoa hit by pitch, Dustin Harris to 3rd; Cody Freeman to 2nd. Wild pitch by Michele Vassalotti, Dustin Harris scores; Cody Freeman to 3rd; Cristian Inoa to 2nd. Keyber Rodriguez walks. Angel Aponte grounds into a force out, Gabe Holt to Felix Valerio, Keyber Rodriguez out at 2nd.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 1st (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 1) -- Gabe Holt singles to right-center field. Freddy Zamora flies out to Angel Aponte. Ashton McGee doubles to left field, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Felix Valerio walks. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Alex Hall replaces Zavier Warren. Alex Hall singles to center field, Gabe Holt scores; Ashton McGee to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Joey Wiemer grounds into double play, Keyber Rodriguez to Dustin Harris, Felix Valerio out at 3rd, Joey Wiemer out at 1st.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 3rd (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 1) -- Luisangel Acuna walks. Dustin Harris singles to right-center field, Luisangel Acuna to 3rd. Cody Freeman grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ashton McGee, Luisangel Acuna scores; Dustin Harris to 2nd. Cristian Inoa doubles to left field, Dustin Harris scores. Keyber Rodriguez singles through the hole at second base, Cristian Inoa scores; Keyber Rodriguez to 2nd; missed catch error by Alex Hall, assist to Michael Wilson. Angel Aponte singles to right field, Keyber Rodriguez scores; Angel Aponte out at 3rd, Michele Vassalotti to Freddy Zamora. Alejandro Osuna singles to left field. Alejandro Osuna caught stealing 2nd base, Alex Hall to Freddy Zamora.
(4 Runs, 5 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 4) -- Defensive Substitution: Jose Acosta replaces shortstop Luisangel Acuna, batting 2nd, playing shortstop. Pitcher Change: Eudrys Manon replaces Gavin Collyer. Ernesto Martinez pops out to Jose Acosta. Noah Campbell strikes out on foul tip. Michael Wilson walks. Gabe Holt walks, Michael Wilson to 2nd. Freddy Zamora hit by pitch, Michael Wilson to 3rd; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Wild pitch by Eudrys Manon, Michael Wilson scores; Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Ashton McGee singles to left-center field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora scores. Felix Valerio hit by pitch, Ashton McGee to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Connor Sechler replaces Eudrys Manon. Alex Hall flies out to Jayce Easley.
(3 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 5th (Wood Ducks 10, Mudcats 4) -- Dustin Harris walks. Cody Freeman singles up the middle, Dustin Harris to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Juan Geraldo replaces Michele Vassalotti. Cristian Inoa pops out to Juan Geraldo. Keyber Rodriguez singles to left-center field, Dustin Harris scores; Cody Freeman to 2nd. Angel Aponte singles to left-center field, Cody Freeman to 3rd; Keyber Rodriguez to 2nd. Alejandro Osuna walks, Cody Freeman scores; Keyber Rodriguez to 3rd; Angel Aponte to 2nd. Jayce Easley singles to right-center field, Keyber Rodriguez scores; Angel Aponte scores; Alejandro Osuna to 3rd. Jayce Easley steals 2nd base. Keithron Moss out on a sacrifice fly to Noah Campbell, Alejandro Osuna scores. Jose Acosta grounds out, Felix Valerio to Ashton McGee.
(5 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Wood Ducks 10, Mudcats 5) -- Joey Wiemer grounds out, Dustin Harris to Connor Sechler. Ernesto Martinez lines out to Jose Acosta. Noah Campbell doubles to right-center field. Michael Wilson singles to right field, Noah Campbell scores. Gabe Holt struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 12, Mudcats 5) -- Keyber Rodriguez singles up the middle. Wild pitch by Juan Geraldo, Keyber Rodriguez to 2nd. Wild pitch by Juan Geraldo, Keyber Rodriguez to 3rd. Angel Aponte singles to center field, Keyber Rodriguez scores. Alejandro Osuna singles to right field, Angel Aponte to 3rd. Angel Aponte steals home, Alejandro Osuna steals 2nd base. Jayce Easley flies out to Joey Wiemer. Keithron Moss struck out looking. Wild pitch by Juan Geraldo, Alejandro Osuna to 3rd. Jose Acosta struck out looking.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Wood Ducks 12, Mudcats 7) -- Joey Wiemer grounds out, Jose Acosta to Dustin Harris. Ernesto Martinez doubles to right field. Noah Campbell walks. Wild pitch by Connor Sechler, Ernesto Martinez to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Michael Wilson singles to right field, Ernesto Martinez scores; Noah Campbell scores; Michael Wilson to 3rd; throwing error by Cody Freeman. Andre Nnebe struck out looking. Freddy Zamora lines out to Alejandro Osuna.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 8th (Wood Ducks 14, Mudcats 7) -- Pitcher Change: Brock Begue replaces Juan Geraldo. Dustin Harris doubles to right field. Cody Freeman grounds out, Noah Campbell to Ashton McGee, Dustin Harris to 3rd. Cristian Inoa reaches on a fielder's choice out, Brock Begue to Alex Hall, Dustin Harris out at home. Keyber Rodriguez hits a home run to left field on a 0-0 pitch, Cristian Inoa scores. Angel Aponte strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 9th (Wood Ducks 15, Mudcats 7) -- Ernesto Martinez remains in the game as the first baseman. Pitcher Change: Ashton McGee replaces Brock Begue, batting 3rd. Alejandro Osuna hit by pitch. Jayce Easley singles to right field, Alejandro Osuna to 3rd. Keithron Moss out on a sacrifice fly to Joey Wiemer, Alejandro Osuna scores. Jose Acosta grounds into double play, Freddy Zamora to Felix Valerio to Ernesto Martinez, Jayce Easley out at 2nd, Jose Acosta out at 1st.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)