Garcia and Cipion Homer in 13-6 Road Win

FREDERICKSBURG – Eduardo Garcia hit a solo home run in the seventh, Arbert Cipion hit a two-run blast in the eighth and the Carolina Mudcats scored eight late runs to lock up a 13-6 victory versus the Fredericksburg Nationals on Wednesday afternoon at Virginia Credit Union Stadium. Garcia also had a two-run double in the eighth while going 3-for-6 with three runs, a double, a home run and three RBI for Carolina.

The Mudcats (4-1) jumped on the board early with four first inning runs against Fredericksburg (3-2) starter Andrew Alvarez. That four run first featured a leadoff single from Garcia, a run-scoring groundout by Jheremy Vargas, a Jeferson Quero RBI double and a Micah Bello two-run single.

Carolina led 4-1 after the first, and 5-1 in the middle of the fourth before the Nationals came back with three runs over the next three frames. The Carolina lead fell to 5-4 before Garcia gave them some breathing room with his solo home run in the seventh. That home run was both Garcia’s and Carolina’s first of the season.

Leading 6-4 entering the eighth, the Mudcats went on to rally for seven more runs on just four hits against relievers Orlando Ribalta and Cody Greenhill. The eighth began with Bello’s second hit of the game and continued with Cipion’s two-run homer. Ribalta then walked two straight before giving up a double to Bello. Greenhill entered the game a couple batters later and went to give up a run-scoring double to Vargas. Ribalta allowed six earned runs on three hits and failed to record an out in the eighth.

The loss went to the starter Alvarez (0-1, 9.64) who allowed five runs over four and 2/3 innings pitched. Miguel Segura started for the Mudcats and allowed just one run on three this over three innings pitched. Segura also walked a couple and struck out three in his Carolina debut.

Reliever Pablo Garabitos followed Segura and allowed a run in the fourth. Jeferson Figuera struck out five, walked three and gave up two runs over the fifth and sixth. Michellle Vassalotti worked a scoreless seventh with a strikeout. Junior Montero (1-0, 6.75) was the final Carolina pitcher in the game as he worked the final two frames and finished with two runs allowed on three hits while earning the victory.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Garcia, E (1, 7th inning off González, P, 0 on, 0 out); Cipion (1, 8th inning off Ribalta, 1 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 3-for-6, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Vargas, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Bello, LF (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 2 RBI

Cipion, RF (Carolina): 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

House, SS (Fredericksburg): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI

Emiliani, 1B (Fredericksburg): 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI

Rivero, 2B (Fredericksburg): 2-for-3, 1 3B, 3 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

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

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

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

González, P (Fredericksburg): 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO}

Greenhill (Fredericksburg): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 4, Nationals 0) -- Eduardo Garcia singles to right field. Hedbert Perez doubles to left field, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd. Jheremy Vargas grounds out, Yoander Rivero to Leandro Emiliani, Eduardo Garcia scores; Hedbert Perez to 3rd. Hendry Mendez walks. Jeferson Quero doubles to right field, Hedbert Perez scores; Hendry Mendez to 3rd. Micah Bello singles to center field, Hendry Mendez scores; Jeferson Quero scores. Arbert Cipion lines out to T.J. White. Zack Raabe flies out to Andry Arias.

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

Nationals 1st (Mudcats 4, Nationals 1) -- Jacob Young singles to shallow left field. Jeremy De La Rosa grounds out, Eduardo Garcia to Luis Silva, Jacob Young to 2nd. Brady House singles to left-center field, Jacob Young scores. Steven Williams walks, Brady House to 2nd. Andry Arias singles to left-center field, Brady House to 3rd; Steven Williams to 2nd. Leandro Emiliani struck out looking. Junior Martina grounds out, Jheremy Vargas to Luis Silva.

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

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 5, Nationals 1) -- Micah Bello struck out looking. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging, Arbert Cipion to 1st;wild pitch by Andrew Alvarez. Zack Raabe walks, Arbert Cipion to 2nd. Luis Silva singles to center field, Arbert Cipion scores; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia grounds out, Junior Martina to Leandro Emiliani, Zack Raabe to 3rd; Luis Silva to 2nd. Hedbert Perez grounds out to Leandro Emiliani.

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

Nationals 4th (Mudcats 5, Nationals 2) -- Pitcher Change: Pablo Garabitos replaces Miguel Segura. Leandro Emiliani doubles to left field. Junior Martina walks. T.J. White grounds into double play, Jheremy Vargas to Zack Raabe to Luis Silva, Leandro Emiliani to 3rd; Junior Martina out at 2nd, T.J. White out at 1st. Yoander Rivero singles to left field, Leandro Emiliani scores. Jacob Young lines out to Micah Bello.

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

Nationals 6th (Mudcats 5, Nationals 4) -- Leandro Emiliani walks. Wild pitch by Jefferson Figueroa, Leandro Emiliani to 2nd. Junior Martina walks. T.J. White strikes out swinging. Yoander Rivero triples to left-center field, Leandro Emiliani scores; Junior Martina scores. Jacob Young flies out to Arbert Cipion. Jeremy De La Rosa strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Nationals 4) -- Eduardo Garcia hits a home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Jheremy Vargas singles through the hole at second base. Wild pitch by Pedro Gonzalez, Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Hendry Mendez singles to deep shortstop, Jheremy Vargas to 3rd. Jeferson Quero grounds into double play, Yoander Rivero to Brady House to Leandro Emiliani, Hendry Mendez out at 2nd, Jeferson Quero out at 1st.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 13, Nationals 4) -- Pitcher Change: Orlando Ribalta replaces Pedro Gonzalez. Micah Bello singles to center field. Arbert Cipion hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch, Micah Bello scores. Zack Raabe walks. Luis Silva walks, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Eduardo Garcia doubles to right field, Zack Raabe scores; Luis Silva scores. Hedbert Perez walks. Pitcher Change: Cody Greenhill replaces Orlando Ribalta. Jheremy Vargas doubles to left-center field, Eduardo Garcia scores; Hedbert Perez to 3rd. Hendry Mendez grounds out, Yoander Rivero to Leandro Emiliani, Hedbert Perez scores; Jheremy Vargas to 3rd. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Junior Martina to Leandro Emiliani, Jheremy Vargas scores. Micah Bello flies out to Jacob Young.

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

Nationals 9th (Mudcats 13, Nationals 6) -- Brady House singles to center field. Steven Williams singles to center field, Brady House to 2nd. Wild pitch by Junior Montero, Brady House to 3rd; Steven Williams to 2nd. Andry Arias flies out to Arbert Cipion. Leandro Emiliani triples to center field, Brady House scores; Steven Williams scores. Junior Martina reaches on a fielder's choice out, Jheremy Vargas to Jeferson Quero to Jheremy Vargas, Leandro Emiliani out at home. T.J. White lines out to Arbert Cipion.

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