Comeback 'Cats Win Fourth Straight

Augusta 5 @ Carolina 6

August 20, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:07 PM | Att : 3,047 | T : 3:21

AUG: 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 5 14 1

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

WP: Kent Hasler (3 - 2) LP: Lisandro Santos (3 - 3) SV: James Meeker (1)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Freddy Zamora had a two-run single in the sixth and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth on a single by Ashton McGee as the Mudcats scored six runs over their final three innings while defeating the Augusta GreenJackets 6-5 on Friday night at Five County Stadium. Reliever James Meeker got the GreenJackets to fly into a double play in the ninth to end the game while earning his first career save and leading Carolina to its fourth straight victory.

The Mudcats (57-37) originally trailed 4-0 in the sixth before coming back with three runs to cut the lead to 4-3. Augusta (40-54) went on to add one more run in the seventh, but Carolina answered with two in the seventh to tie the game and eventually one in the eighth while taking a 6-5 lead. The GreenJackets led for most of the game but ended up suffering their fourth straight loss in the series after allowing six Carolina runs across the sixth and eighth innings.

Zamora went 2-for-4 in the game and started Carolina’s comeback bid with a bases loaded, two-run single in the sixth. At the time, Zamora’s single cut the lead down to 4-2 and came after the Carolina shortstop threw out a runner at the plate for the second out of the top of sixth.

Zamora’s hit in the sixth made it a 4-2 game, while Wes Clarke’s two-out double in the same frame cut it to 4-3. Augusta managed to get one back with a run-scoring hit from Stephen Paolini in the seventh, but Carolina came back with two in the last of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5. The seventh began with Ernesto Martinez reaching on a double and scoring from third on a wild pitch to make it a one-run game. Sal Frelick then walked and scored on a single from Ethan Murray to tie the game at 5-5. Both Martinez and Frelick had a hit in the game and both stretched their hitting streaks to eight straight.

McGee then broke the 5-5 tie in the eighth when he connected on a go-ahead single to drive in Zamora from second. Zamora originally started the eighth with a single before going to second on a hit from Alex Binelas.

Reliever Lisandro Santos allowed McGee’s go-ahead RBI single and ended up with the loss and his second blown save of the season. He followed NC State product Alec Barger who had worked through an inning and 2/3 with two runs allowed (as well three inherited runners) on three hits before leaving the game. Joey Estes started and finished three runs allowed two hits over five plus innings. He cruised his way through the first innings before leaving with the bags full in the sixth.

Paolini tripled in the ninth while going 4-for-5 but was also caught at home to end the game after attempting to score from third on a fly ball to right. Carolina’s Mike Wilson made a diving catch in the right before getting the ball in for Murray, who then relayed it home were Clarke laid down a jumping swipe tag to end the game.

Carolina took a 4-0 lead in the series with Friday’s victory, thus clinching a series win in their first and only series with the GreenJackets.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

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

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

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

Paolini, CF (Augusta): 4-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Bunnell, 3B (Augusta): 2-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Grissom, SS (Augusta): 2-for-5, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Figueroa (Carolina): 3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO

Baker (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

Hasler (W, 3-2) (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Meeker (S, 1) (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

Estes (Augusta): 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO

SCORING:

GreenJackets 2nd (GreenJackets 1, Mudcats 0) -- Landon Stephens strikes out swinging. Justyn-Henry Malloy walks. Christian Robinson singles to left-center field, Justyn-Henry Malloy out at 3rd on the throw, Andre Nnebe to Alex Binelas, Christian Robinson to 2nd. Stephen Paolini singles to left-center field, Christian Robinson scores. Stephen Paolini steals 2nd base. Cam Shepherd walks. Stephen Paolini advances to 3rd on a balk; Cam Shepherd advances to 2nd on a balk. Tyler Tolve flies out to Mike Wilson.

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

GreenJackets 6th (GreenJackets 4, Mudcats 0) -- Pitcher Change: Brock Begue replaces Robbie Baker. Christian Robinson singles to right-center field. Christian Robinson steals 2nd base. Stephen Paolini strikes out swinging. Cam Shepherd singles to center field, Christian Robinson scores. Cam Shepherd steals 2nd base. Tyler Tolve singles to center field, Cam Shepherd to 3rd. Cade Bunnell triples to left-center field, Cam Shepherd scores; Tyler Tolve scores. Vaughn Grissom reaches on a fielder's choice out, Freddy Zamora to Wes Clarke, Cade Bunnell out at home. Vaughn Grissom caught stealing 2nd base, Wes Clarke to Freddy Zamora.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (GreenJackets 4, Mudcats 3) -- Mike Wilson walks. Sal Frelick singles to left-center field, Mike Wilson to 2nd. Ethan Murray walks, Mike Wilson to 3rd; Sal Frelick to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Alec Barger replaces Joey Estes. Freddy Zamora singles to left-center field, Mike Wilson scores; Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray to 2nd. Alex Binelas grounds into double play, Vaughn Grissom to Cam Shepherd to Bryson Horne, Ethan Murray to 3rd; Freddy Zamora out at 2nd, Alex Binelas out at 1st. Wes Clarke doubles to right field, Ethan Murray scores. Ashton McGee grounds out, Cade Bunnell to Bryson Horne.

(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

GreenJackets 7th (GreenJackets 5, Mudcats 3) -- Pitcher Change: Justin Miller replaces Brock Begue. Bryson Horne strikes out swinging, Bryson Horne to 1st;wild pitch by Justin Miller. Landon Stephens singles to left field, Bryson Horne to 3rd. Justyn-Henry Malloy flies out to Sal Frelick. Christian Robinson strikes out swinging. Stephen Paolini singles to center field, Bryson Horne scores; Landon Stephens to 2nd. Cam Shepherd walks, Landon Stephens to 3rd; Stephen Paolini to 2nd. Tyler Tolve grounds out, Ethan Murray to Ernesto Martinez.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (GreenJackets 5, Mudcats 5) -- Ernesto Martinez doubles to center field. Andre Nnebe grounds out, Cam Shepherd to Bryson Horne, Ernesto Martinez to 3rd. Mike Wilson struck out looking. Sal Frelick walks. Pitcher Change: Lisandro Santos replaces Alec Barger. Wild pitch by Lisandro Santos, Ernesto Martinez scores; Sal Frelick to 2nd. Ethan Murray singles through the hole at second base, Sal Frelick scores. Lisandro Santos picks off Ethan Murray at on throw to Bryson Horne.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 6, GreenJackets 5) -- Freddy Zamora singles through the hole at shortstop. Alex Binelas singles to right field, Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Wes Clarke strikes out on foul tip. Ashton McGee singles through the hole at second base, Freddy Zamora scores; Alex Binelas to 3rd; Ashton McGee advances to 2nd on throwing error by Landon Stephens. Ernesto Martinez grounds into double play, Bryson Horne to Vaughn Grissom to Tyler Tolve to Cade Bunnell to Tyler Tolve to Cam Shepherd to Bryson Horne, Alex Binelas out at home.

(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)