Frelick Totals 5 Hits, McGee Hits 3-Run HR in 10-4 Win

Augusta 4 @ Carolina 10

August 17, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:04 PM | Att : 549 | T : 3:09

AUG: 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 12 2
CAR: 3 2 0 0 1 3 1 0 x 10 17 0

WP: Michele Vassalotti (5 - 6) LP: Rainiery Rodriguez (2 - 2)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Sal Frelick went 5-for-6 with a RBI, Ashton McGee hit a three-run home run in the sixth, Ethan Murray and Freddy Zamora hit back-to-back triples in the second and Micah Bello had three hits as the Mudcats defeated the August GreenJackets 10-4 in Tuesday’s series opener at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.

Frelick started the Carolina (54-37) first with a single before scoring three batters later on a double from Alex Binelas. Wes Clarke then followed a two-run single to give the Mudcats a 3-2 lead after one. They then took a 5-2 lead after Murray and Zamora collected their run-scoring triples with two outs in the second. A RBI single from Frelick in the fifth put Carolina up 6-2 and McGee’s home run in the sixth lifted the lead to 9-2. Carolina’s final run came in the seventh when Clarke brought in Frelick with a sac fly to center.

Michele Vassalotti started the game and worked around two first inning runs while pitching through the fifth and earning the victory. Vassalotti (5-6, 6.60) totaled seven strikeouts and gave up just the two runs on six hits (four of which in the first) over his five inning start. He allowed two-out run scoring hits to Willie Carter and Ricardo Rodriguez in the first, but went on to hold Augusta (40-51) scoreless over the next four innings.

Frelick’s five-hit game was the first of his career and Carolina’s first of the 2021 season. Overall, Frelick went 5-for-6 with two runs, a double and one RBI in his first home game with the Mudcats at Five County Stadium. Murray, Binelas and Clarke also made their home debuts in Tuesday’s series opener with Murray going 2-for-5 with a triple, Binelas driving in a run and going 1-for-4 with a double and Clarke driving in two runs while also going 2-for-4. Murray and Binelas additionally made their Carolina debuts in Tuesday’s game.

McGee’s home run in the sixth was his eighth of the season and came off reliever Kenny Wells. The home run was also McGee’s second hit of the night, making him one of five Mudcats with at least two hits in the game. Frelick led the way with five hits, Bello had three and McGee, Murray and Zamora each had two.

Augusta’s Rainiery Rodriguez (2-2, 6.85) started and took the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on 12 hits over five innings pitched. Wells allowed four runs (three on McGee’s home run) and gave up three hits over two innings. Williams then worked the eighth while keeping Carolina scoreless.

Following Vassalotti’s five inning start, the Mudcats then turned the game over to relievers Nate Peden, Jason Munsch and Robbie Baker. Peden pitched through two and 1/3 scoreless innings, while Munsch faced two batters and retired both in what was his first appearance since July 14. Baker then pitched the ninth and allowed two runs and two hits while finishing the game.

The victory gave the Mudcats a 1-0 lead in the series. It also snapped Augusta’s six-game winning streak.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : McGee (8, 6th inning off Wells, 2 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Frelick, CF (Carolina): 5-for-6, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

McGee, DH (Carolina): 2-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Bello, RF (Carolina): 3-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Murray, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

Carter, DH (Augusta): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Vassalotti (W, 5-6) (Carolina): 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO

Peden (Carolina): 2.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Munsch (Carolina): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

Williams (Augusta): 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Brewer (Augusta): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Ortega, T (W, 3-1) (Augusta): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

Cole (S, 1) (Augusta): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

GreenJackets 1st (GreenJackets 2, Mudcats 0) -- Cal Conley singles through the hole at second base. Cade Bunnell grounds into double play, Ethan Murray to Freddy Zamora to Wes Clarke, Cal Conley out at 2nd, Cade Bunnell out at 1st. Bryson Horne singles to right field. Willie Carter doubles to right field, Bryson Horne scores. Landon Stephens walks. Ricardo Rodriguez singles to left-center field, Willie Carter scores; Landon Stephens to 2nd. Justyn-Henry Malloy struck out looking.

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

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 3, GreenJackets 2) -- Sal Frelick singles through the hole at second base. Ethan Murray flies out to Stephen Paolini. Freddy Zamora singles to right-center field, Sal Frelick to 2nd. Alex Binelas doubles to right field, Sal Frelick scores; Freddy Zamora to 3rd. Wes Clarke singles to left-center field, Freddy Zamora scores; Alex Binelas scores. Ashton McGee grounds out, Rainiery Rodriguez to Bryson Horne, Wes Clarke to 2nd. Micah Bello flies out to Christian Robinson.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 5, GreenJackets 2) -- Alex Hall grounds out, Cal Conley to Bryson Horne. Noah Campbell hit by pitch. Sal Frelick struck out looking. Ethan Murray triples to right-center field, Noah Campbell scores. Freddy Zamora triples to center field, Ethan Murray scores. Alex Binelas strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 6, GreenJackets 2) -- Ashton McGee reaches on fielding error by Stephen Paolini. Micah Bello pops out to Bryson Horne in foul territory. Alex Hall struck out looking. Noah Campbell singles to shallow right field, Ashton McGee to 2nd. Sal Frelick singles to right-center field, Ashton McGee scores; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Ethan Murray flies out to Christian Robinson.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 9, GreenJackets 2) -- Pitcher Change: Kenny Wells replaces Rainiery Rodriguez. Freddy Zamora hit by pitch. Alex Binelas strikes out swinging, Freddy Zamora steals 2nd base. Wes Clarke reaches on throwing error by Justyn-Henry Malloy, Freddy Zamora to 3rd. Ashton McGee hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch, Freddy Zamora scores; Wes Clarke scores. Micah Bello singles to left-center field. Alex Hall strikes out swinging. Noah Campbell strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 10, GreenJackets 2) -- Sal Frelick doubles to center field. Ethan Murray walks. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging. Alex Binelas walks, Sal Frelick to 3rd; Ethan Murray to 2nd. Wes Clarke out on a sacrifice fly to Stephen Paolini, Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray to 3rd. Ashton McGee pops out to Cade Bunnell.

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

GreenJackets 9th (Mudcats 10, GreenJackets 4) -- Pitcher Change: Robbie Baker replaces Jason Munsch. Christian Robinson doubles to right-center field. Stephen Paolini doubles to right-center field, Christian Robinson scores. Cal Conley grounds out, Wes Clarke to Robbie Baker, Stephen Paolini to 3rd. Cade Bunnell grounds out, Alex Binelas to Wes Clarke, Stephen Paolini scores.

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