Cornielle and Rodriguez Lead Micro Brews to 9-2 Victory

Down East 2 @ Carolina 9

May 19, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:01 PM | T : 2:18

DE: 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 3 1

CAR: 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 x 9 10 0

WP: Alexander Cornielle (1 - 4) LP: Robby Ahlstrom (0 - 4)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Victor Estevez

ZEBULON – Jose Sibrian had a three-run double in the sixth, Zack Raabe drove in two late runs with a run-scoring double, starter Carlos Rodriguez struck out five over four innings and Alexander Cornielle earned his first win of the season with six strikeouts in relief as the Carolina Mudcats, playing as the Carolina Micro Brews, defeated the Down East Wood Ducks 9-2 on Thursday night at Five County Stadium.

Rodriguez and Cornielle (1-4) combined to hold the Wood Ducks (15-21) to just two runs on three hits while leading the Mudcats (19-17) to their second straight win in the series. Rodriguez started and gave the Mudcats four solid frames with five strikeouts and just one run allowed on two hits.

Cornielle took over the in the fifth and went the rest of the way in what was his first relief appearance of the season. Cornielle struck out six, walked two and allowed just one run and one hit over five innings pitched.

The Mudcats initially fell behind 1-0 in the first after the Wood Ducks rallied for a run and a couple of hits in the opening frame against Rodriguez. That 1-0 lead disappeared though in the last of the first when Carolina scored twice off Down East starter Robby Ahlstrom while taking a 2-1 lead.

The Carolina first started with a leadoff walk from Cipion and continued with a one-out single to left by Jackson Chourio. A fielding error in left on Chourio’s single allowed Cipion to score from second and allowed Chourio to advance to third. Ahlstrom (0-4) went on to throw a wild pitch moments later to allow Chourio to score as the Mudcats took a 2-1 lead.

The game stayed at 2-1 through the fifth before the Mudcats rallied for four runs in the sixth off reliever Jose Corniell. That inning featured Sibrian’s bases loaded double that scored three and lifted Carolina to a 5-1 lead. That inning saw the Mudcats load the bases again and saw Eduardo Garcia force in the fourth run of the inning on a bases loaded walk from Theo McDowell.

Jose Sibrian just broke this one open with a 3-run double in the 6th. Micro Brews 6, Wood Ducks 1, t7 pic.twitter.com/BdZ0mi122i

— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) May 20, 2022

Down East eventually came back with a run in the seventh to cut the lead to 6-2, but a three-run Carolina eighth put the Mudcats up by the eventual final of 9-2. Oswal Leones had a RBI single and Raabe had a two-run double in the eighth.

The victory lifted the Mudcats into a 2-1 series lead over the Wood Ducks.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B

Raabe, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Sibrian, C (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI

Cipion, LF (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 R

Leones, RF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI

Osuna, A, RF (Down East): 1-for-3, 1 R,

Narvaez, C (Down East): 1-for-2, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Rodriguez (Carolina): 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

Cornielle (W, 1-4) (Carolina): 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

Hoopii-Tuionetoa (Down East): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

McDowell, T (Down East): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

Wood Ducks 1st (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 0) -- Alejandro Osuna singles to right-center field. Cameron Cauley singles to right-center field, Alejandro Osuna to 3rd. Tucker Mitchell strikes out swinging, Cameron Cauley steals 2nd base. Maximo Acosta out on a sacrifice fly to Jackson Chourio, Alejandro Osuna scores. Cameron Cauley steals 3rd base. Yosy Galan pops out to Zack Raabe.

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

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Wood Ducks 1) -- Arbert Cipion walks. Passed ball by Efrenyer Narvaez, Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia flies out to Daniel Mateo. Jackson Chourio singles to left-center field, Arbert Cipion scores; Jackson Chourio to 3rd; fielding error by Yosy Galan. Wild pitch by Robby Ahlstrom, Jackson Chourio scores. Jesus Chirinos doubles to right-center field. Oswel Leones strikes out swinging. Zack Raabe flies out to Alejandro Osuna.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 6, Wood Ducks 1) -- Pitcher Change: Jose Corniell replaces Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa. Oswel Leones walks. Zack Raabe singles to deep second base, Oswel Leones to 2nd. Alberis Ferrer walks, Oswel Leones to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Jose Sibrian doubles to center field, Oswel Leones scores; Zack Raabe scores; Alberis Ferrer scores. Luis Silva walks. Pitcher Change: Theo McDowell replaces Jose Corniell. Arbert Cipion walks, Jose Sibrian to 3rd; Luis Silva to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia walks, Jose Sibrian scores; Luis Silva to 3rd; Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Jackson Chourio pops out to Efrenyer Narvaez in foul territory. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging. Oswel Leones strikes out swinging.

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

Wood Ducks 7th (Mudcats 6, Wood Ducks 2) -- Maximo Acosta struck out looking. Yosy Galan walks. Daniel Mateo grounds out, Alexander Cornielle to Jesus Chirinos, Yosy Galan to 2nd. Efrenyer Narvaez singles to right field, Yosy Galan scores. Abimelec Ortiz strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 9, Wood Ducks 2) -- Pitcher Change: Nick Lockhart replaces Theo McDowell. Arbert Cipion walks. Arbert Cipion caught stealing 2nd base, Efrenyer Narvaez to Maximo Acosta. Eduardo Garcia struck out looking. Jackson Chourio walks. Jesus Chirinos singles to left-center field, Jackson Chourio to 2nd. Oswel Leones singles to center field, Jackson Chourio scores; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Zack Raabe doubles to right field, Jesus Chirinos scores; Oswel Leones scores. Alberis Ferrer grounds out, Maximo Acosta to Abimelec Ortiz.

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