Feliciano and Segovia Power Mudcats to 9-2 Victory in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Mario Feliciano hit his team leading seventh home run while going 2-for-4 with five RBI, Joantgel Segovia went 3-for-5 with home run of his own and Dylan File pitched through the fifth with two unearned runs allowed as the Mudcats trounced the Woodpeckers 9-2 on Friday night at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville.

The Mudcats (25-16) improved to 7-4 versus Fayetteville (19-22) overall on the season with Friday's series opening win at Segra Stadium. The win was also Carolina's second straight and brought them up to a 3-2 mark in their current road trip.
Segovia's home run came in the third and was a two-run blast to right that broke a scoreless tie and gave the Mudcats a 2-0 lead. Feliciano then extended the lead in the same frame with a two-run double to left-center.
Carolina scored four times in the third, with all four runs coming against Fayetteville's starter J.P. France. The four run third also included three hits, a walk and two Fayetteville errors. 
France (L, 0-4, 5.58) came back out for the fourth, but did not record an out while allowing hits to Nick Roscetti, Devin Hairston, Segovia and Ryan Aguilar. 
Aguilar went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice in the game for the Mudcats. Segovia drove in three while going 3-for-5 with two runs and Hairston scored twice while going 1-for-4.
In all, France allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits over three plus innings in the loss. He also walked two and struck out three. Nick Hernandez followed and went on to pitch through the next two and 2/3 innings with one run allowed on one hit. He also struck out six and walked one in the game.
Carolina led 7-0 in before the Woodpeckers brought across an unearned run in both the fourth and fifth innings against File. Their first run of the game scored in the fourth when Scott Schreiber, after a nine pitch at bat, reached on an error and scored two batters later on a single from Jonathan Arauz. File then saw one more come across in the fifth when he got Corey Julks to hit into a sacrifice and double play in left. Julk's sac fly brought in Miguelangel Sierra from third, but Jacob Meyers would be then be caught off first on the same play as Carolina retired him 7-4-3 to end the frame.
File finished his third straight victory with just two unearned runs allowed on five hits over five innings pitched. He also struck out four and made his way through his second straight start without issuing a walk. File has now totaled 46 strikeouts against just three walks this season (15.33 K/BB). He left the game after reaching 80 pitches (57 strikes) and with the Mudcats leading 7-2.
Feliciano later answered the two run Fayetteville rally with his two-run home run to right-center in the sixth. The home run was his team leading seventh of the season and brought his RBI total to a team best 29 on the season.
Carolina reliever Michael Petersen eventually worked the sixth, seventh and eighth for the Mudcats. Petersen allowed just one hit, walked one and struck out one in his outing. J.T. Hintzen then struck out one and faced three while working a scoreless ninth.
The series will continue on Saturday evening with the first pitch scheduled fro 5:00 p.m. in Fayetteville. The Mudcats will go with starter RHP Nelson Hernandez ( 4 -1, 4.97) in game two of the three game series in Fayetteville. The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
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