Comeback ‘Cats Rally Back for 11-8 Victory
Kannapolis 8 @ Carolina 11 May 24, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 6:58 PM | T : 2:57 KAN: 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 0 CAR: 0 2 0 2 3 4 0 0 x 11 16 1
Kannapolis 8 @ Carolina 11
May 24, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 6:58 PM | T : 2:57
KAN: 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 0
CAR: 0 2 0 2 3 4 0 0 x 11 16 1
WP: Pablo Garabitos (2 - 0) LP: Bowen Plagge (0 - 1) SV: Michele Vassalotti (3)
ZEBULON – Hedbert Perez went 4-for-5 with four runs, three doubles, a three-run home run and four RBI while leading the Carolina Mudcats back from an early deficit to defeat the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 11-8 on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium. Perez fell one hit shy of matching a career high, while teammate Arbert Cipion set a new career best with five hits while going 5-for-6 for the Mudcats.
The Cannon Ballers (17-23) led 6-0 in the middle of the second before the Mudcats (22-18) scored twice to cut the early deficit to four at 6-2. A two-run Kannapolis third, however, answered Carolina’s rally and gave the Cannon Ballers the early 8-2 lead. Carolina then came back with two runs in the fourth, three more on Perez’s home run in the fifth, and four in the seventh while scoring nine unanswered runs to defeat the Cannon Ballers 11-8 in the first game of the six-game series.
Perez doubled and scored a run in the second, doubled again and scored on a wild pitch in the fourth, homered to cut the deficit to one in the fifth, and broke an 8-8 tie with a go-ahead double in Carolina’s four run and five hit seventh. Perez fell a hit shy of matching a career high for hits in a game, but set a new career best for doubles with three.
Suddenly it's a one-run game thanks to a 3-run home run from Hedbert Perez in the 5th! Perez is 3-for-3 with three runs, two doubles, a home run and three RBI tonight.
— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) May 25, 2022
T6: Cannon Ballers 8, Mudcats 7 pic.twitter.com/fZtb3RRIJT
With Perez leading the way, Cipion would also add a career night with a five-hit game while going 5-for-6, Jesus Chirinos went 2-for-3 with two runs, and Eduardo Garcia tripled and scored the tying run in the seventh.
Carolina starter Fernando Olguin allowed all eight Cannon Baller runs and only worked through the third before leaving the game. He allowed three runs (one earned) in the first, three more in the second and two in the third before the bullpen took over. Carolina relievers would pick up their starter in a big way as Pablo Garabitos, Junior Montero, Christian Tripp and Michele Vassalotti combined for six scoreless frames the rest of the way.
Garabitos (2-0) earned the victory after totaling six strikeouts over three scoreless innings. Montero (H, 1) took over in the seventh and worked around two walks while tossing a scoreless frame. Tripp (H, 4) then worked a scoreless eighth before Vassalotti (S, 3) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Kannapolis starter Christian Mena allowed two doubles to Perez while pitching into the fifth. Mena limited Carolina to two runs over the first three innings, but ended up allowing six earned runs on seven hits over four and 1/3 innings. Reliever Hector Cruz took over in the fifth, but would immediately give up a home run to Perez as Carolina pulled within one at 8-7. Bowen Plagge (0-1) took over in the sixth and ended up with the loss after allowing four Carolina runs and losing the lead.
The Mudcats took a 1-0 series lead with the Tuesday night victory. The series will continue on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium with right-hander Alexander Cornielle starting for the Mudcats.
HOME RUNS:
Carolina: Perez (4, 5th inning off Cruz, 2 on, 1 out).
TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Perez, LF (Carolina): 4-for-5, 4 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Cipion, RF (Carolina): 5-for-6, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Quero, C (Carolina): 1-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Montgomery, SS (Kannapolis): 3-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Torres, V, C (Kannapolis): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Sanchez, W, 2B (Kannapolis): 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Kath, 3B (Kannapolis): 1-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Garabitos (W, 2-0) (Carolina): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
Montero (H, 1) (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
Tripp (H, 4) (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Vassalotti (S, 3) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Cruz (Kannapolis): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Edwards (Kannapolis): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
SCORING:
Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 3, Mudcats 0) -- Wilber Sanchez doubles to left field. Wes Kath walks. Colson Montgomery singles to right field, Wilber Sanchez to 3rd; Wes Kath to 2nd. Wilfred Veras out on a sacrifice fly to Jackson Chourio, Wilber Sanchez scores; Wes Kath scores; Colson Montgomery scores; throwing error by Eduardo Garcia. DJ Gladney strikes out swinging. Colby Smelley walks. Benyamin Bailey strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)
Cannon Ballers 2nd (Cannon Ballers 6, Mudcats 0) -- Victor Torres walks. James Beard flies out to Hedbert Perez. Wilber Sanchez walks, Victor Torres to 2nd. Wes Kath singles to right field, Victor Torres to 3rd; Wilber Sanchez to 2nd. Colson Montgomery doubles to right field, Victor Torres scores; Wilber Sanchez scores; Wes Kath to 3rd. Wilfred Veras grounds out, Eduardo Garcia to Jesus Chirinos, Wes Kath scores. DJ Gladney flies out to Jackson Chourio.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 2nd (Cannon Ballers 6, Mudcats 2) -- Jeferson Quero singles to right field. Hedbert Perez doubles to right-center field, Jeferson Quero to 3rd. Jesus Chirinos out on a sacrifice fly to James Beard, Jeferson Quero scores; Hedbert Perez to 3rd. Zack Raabe grounds out, Colson Montgomery to Wilfred Veras, Hedbert Perez scores. Jheremy Vargas walks. Arbert Cipion singles up the middle, Jheremy Vargas to 3rd. Jackson Chourio flies out to DJ Gladney.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)
Cannon Ballers 3rd (Cannon Ballers 8, Mudcats 2) -- Colby Smelley singles to deep shortstop. Benyamin Bailey walks, Colby Smelley to 2nd. Victor Torres doubles through the hole at shortstop, Colby Smelley scores; Benyamin Bailey to 3rd. James Beard out on a sacrifice fly to Jackson Chourio, Benyamin Bailey scores; Victor Torres to 3rd. Wilber Sanchez strikes out swinging. Wes Kath flies out to Jackson Chourio.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 4th (Cannon Ballers 8, Mudcats 4) -- Hedbert Perez doubles to right field. Wild pitch by Cristian Mena, Hedbert Perez to 3rd. Wild pitch by Cristian Mena, Hedbert Perez scores. Jesus Chirinos walks. Zack Raabe singles to left-center field, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas grounds into double play, Colson Montgomery to Wilber Sanchez to Wilfred Veras, Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Zack Raabe out at 2nd, Jheremy Vargas out at 1st. Arbert Cipion singles to shallow center field, Jesus Chirinos scores. Wild pitch by Cristian Mena, Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Jackson Chourio struck out looking.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 5th (Cannon Ballers 8, Mudcats 7) -- Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging. Hendry Mendez walks. Wild pitch by Cristian Mena, Hendry Mendez to 2nd. Jeferson Quero walks. Pitcher Change: Homer Cruz replaces Cristian Mena. Hedbert Perez hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch, Hendry Mendez scores; Jeferson Quero scores. Jesus Chirinos singles to shallow left field. Zack Raabe grounds out, Colson Montgomery to Wilfred Veras, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Wild pitch by Homer Cruz, Jesus Chirinos to 3rd. Jheremy Vargas walks. Arbert Cipion grounds out, Homer Cruz to Wilfred Veras.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)
Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 11, Cannon Ballers 8) -- Pitcher Change: Bowen Plagge replaces Homer Cruz. Jackson Chourio grounds out, Wilber Sanchez to Wilfred Veras. Eduardo Garcia triples to left field. Hendry Mendez reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Bowen Plagge, Eduardo Garcia scores. Jeferson Quero flies out to Benyamin Bailey. Hedbert Perez doubles to right-center field, Hendry Mendez scores. Jesus Chirinos singles to left-center field, Hedbert Perez scores. Zack Raabe walks, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas singles to center field, Jesus Chirinos scores; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Arbert Cipion singles to deep shortstop, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Jackson Chourio strikes out swinging.
(4 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)