ZEBULON, N.C. - Eddie Silva, Tristen Lutz and Mario Feliciano each had run scoring hits with two outs in the eighth as Carolina rallied for four late runs, but the Wood Ducks held on for a 6-4, series clinching victory on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium.
ZEBULON, N.C. - Eddie Silva, Tristen Lutz and Mario Feliciano each had run scoring hits with two outs in the eighth as Carolina rallied for four late runs, but the Wood Ducks held on for a 6-4, series clinching victory on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium.
Carolina (3-3, 42-33) trailed 6-0 heading into their half of the eighth before rallying back with four two-out runs on hits from Tristen Lutz, Mario Feliciano and Eddie Silva. Those four runs pulled them within two, but ended up being all Carolina would score in the game as the Wood Ducks (3-3, 52-23) held on for a 6-4 win while taking a two games to none lead in the three game series.
Silva's run scoring hit in the eighth was a two-run single to center that came with the bases loaded. It was also the first and only hit allowed by reliever Jefferson Medina who had entered the game with the bags full and to face Silva.
The eighth also included an infield hit to third by Lutz that scored Trever Morrison from third and groundball single off the third base bag from Feliciano that scored Devin Hairston from second. Morrison was struck by a pitch through by reliever Cole Uvila earlier in the inning. Feliciano's RBI hit accounted for his Carolina League best 53rd RBI of the season.
Medina (S, 2) ended up allowing two of the three he inherited to score, but finished out his second save of the season while working a scoreless ninth and turning in an inning and 1/3 scoreless with one strikeout.
It was Down East's starter Alex Eubanks earned the win after pitching through six scoreless innings on Tuesday night. Eubanks (W, 6-2, 2.63) also walked one and struck out five while reaching just 76 pitches (45 strikes) in his six-inning, quality outing.
Matt Smith started for Carolina and took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits over three and 2/3 innings. Smith (L, 2-7, 4.17) allowed a home run to Down East's Curtis Terry to start the second and allowed another run in that same frame after losing a wild pitch with the bases loaded. He also walked two and struck out five (including three in the first) in the loss.
Carolina was down 2-0 from the second through the fifth before Yohel Pozo homered off reliever Matt Hardy in the sixth to put Down East up 3-0. Hardy originally entered the game in the fourth in place of Smith and ended up allowing three runs (two earned) over two and 2/3 innings in Tuesday's game. He also gave up a two-run double to Diosbell Arias in the seventh. Hardy also walked two and struck out three over two and 2/3 on Tuesday night.
The Wood Ducks also scored a run against reliever Phil Bickford in the eighth after J.P. Martinez doubled and scored on a two-out single from Yonny Hernandez. Bickford pitched through an inning and 2/3 with one run allowed on two hits in the game. He also struck out four and walked one. J.T. Hintzen later worked the ninth and managed to hold Down East scoreless with a three-up and three-down inning.
The Wood Ducks led 6-0 heading into the last of the eighth, but Carolina would rally back with four runs and four hits in the frame to make things interesting. Their late rally ended up falling short though as the Wood Ducks held on for the second straight night. Down East also took the opener 5-4 on Monday night at Five County Stadium.
The series will conclude on Wednesday morning beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Five County Stadium. The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, Movin' 99.3 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. The game will also stream live in full high-definition video on MiLB.tv via Minor League Baseball's subscription service.
Individual game tickets, season ticket plans, group ticket packages and the latest mini plans are all available now by visiting the Five County Stadium front office, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting carolinamudcats.com/tickets.
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