Gray Hits Eleventh Homer in 6-2 Loss in Kinston

The Low-A East Central leading Mudcats finished with a series split in Kinston

June 27, 2021

KINSTON – Joe Gray Jr. hit his Low-A East leading eleventh home run of the season, but Down East starter Mason Englert held the Mudcats to just one run and one hit over six strong innings as the Wood Ducks took Sunday’s series finale 6-2 at Grainger Stadium in Kinston.

The Low-A East Central leading Mudcats (28-18) ended up finishing with a split in their six-game series with the Wood Ducks (27-20). Carolina took two straight to start the series, but split the middle two games before losing two straight to end it. The Mudcats now sit atop Low-A East central with a 1.5 game lead over second place Down East.

The Wood Ducks struck first in the game after Randy Florentino and Jayce Easley turned in consecutive doubles in the third with Easley’s driving in Florentino to put Down East up 1-0. Run scoring singles from Luisangel Acuna and Dustin Harris added on two more to the lead as the Wood Ducks jumped out in front 3-0.

The three run third came in support of Englert’s fantastic start as he held Carolina scoreless over the first three frames before allowing a home run to Gray in the fourth. Englert (4-1, 3.13) worked through the sixth and allowed just one run and one hit. He also struck out six and worked around three walks, two of which occurring in the first inning.

Gray’s home run was the only hit allowed by Englert in Sunday’s game. The home run was also Gray’s Low-A East leading eleventh of the season and his first since June 6 (snapping a run of 16 straight games without a home run). Gray went 1-for-3 with a home run, a RBI and a walk in the game.

Nick Belzer started for the Mudcats and ended up with the loss after allowing all three Down East runs in the third. Belzer (3-2, 4.62) had won three straight starts heading into Sunday’s finale, but ended up going just four innings while allowing three runs on five hits. Juan Geraldo followed and allowed a run in the fifth and sixth innings while going two innings overall. Abner Uribe also pitched and later allowed a run in the seventh while seeing his consecutive scoreless innings streak end at 15 and 1/3 innings. Uribe, however, did finish his appearances with five strikeouts over two innings pitched.

Joey Wiemer scored the only other run for the Mudcats after starting the seventh with a single and scoring on a sacrifice fly from Ernesto Martinez. For Wiemer, his single stretched his current hit streak to four straight. He has also hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games. Zavier Warren was held without a hit in the game and saw his hitting streak end at nine consecutive games.

Carolina won two straight to start the series, but ended up dropping two straight before leaving Kinston. Following Monday’s off-day, the Mudcats next play on Tuesday night in Fayetteville for the opener of a seven-game series against the Woodpeckers.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina HR : Gray Jr. (11, 4th inning off Englert, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Gray Jr., DH (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Wiemer, CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Hall, A, C (Carolina): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Easley, CF (Down East): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Acuna, 2B (Down East): 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Harris, 1B (Down East): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Geraldo (Carolina): 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Uribe (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
Englert (W, 4-1) (Down East): 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO
Matthews (Down East): 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Mraz (Down East): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Anderson (Down East): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING SUMMARY:
Wood Ducks 3rd (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 0) -- Obie Ricumstrict flies out to Joey Wiemer. Randy Florentino doubles to right field. Jayce Easley doubles to right-center field, Randy Florentino scores. Luisangel Acuna singles through the hole at second base, Jayce Easley scores. Luisangel Acuna steals 2nd base. Dustin Harris singles to center field, Luisangel Acuna scores. Dustin Harris steals 2nd base. Keyber Rodriguez pops out to Felix Valerio. Wild pitch by Nick Belzer, Dustin Harris to 3rd. Cody Freeman walks. Alejandro Osuna flies out to Noah Campbell.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 1) -- Joe Gray Jr. hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch. Zavier Warren flies out to Obie Ricumstrict. Joey Wiemer strikes out swinging. Ernesto Martinez flies out to Jayce Easley.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 5th (Wood Ducks 4, Mudcats 1) -- Pitcher Change: Juan Geraldo replaces Nick Belzer. Luisangel Acuna doubles to right-center field. Dustin Harris flies out to Joey Wiemer, Luisangel Acuna to 3rd. Keyber Rodriguez singles up the middle, Luisangel Acuna scores. Keyber Rodriguez steals 2nd base. Cody Freeman struck out looking. Alejandro Osuna flies out to Noah Campbell in foul territory.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 6th (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 1) -- Thomas Saggese struck out looking. Obie Ricumstrict walks. Randy Florentino flies out to Joey Wiemer. Obie Ricumstrict steals 2nd base. Jayce Easley singles through the hole at second base, Obie Ricumstrict scores. Luisangel Acuna flies out to Joey Wiemer.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: John Matthews replaces Mason Englert. Joey Wiemer singles to left-center field. Joey Wiemer steals 2nd base. missed catch error by Keyber Rodriguez. Ernesto Martinez out on a sacrifice fly to Alejandro Osuna, Joey Wiemer scores. Noah Campbell struck out looking. Alex Hall doubles to right field. Andre Nnebe singles to deep shortstop, Alex Hall to 3rd. Gabe Holt grounds out, Keyber Rodriguez to Dustin Harris.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 6, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Abner Uribe replaces Juan Geraldo. Dustin Harris singles to left-center field. Wild pitch by Abner Uribe, Dustin Harris to 2nd. Dustin Harris steals 3rd base, Dustin Harris scores; throwing error by Alex Hall. Keyber Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Cody Freeman walks. Alejandro Osuna grounds into a force out, Ernesto Martinez to Felix Valerio, Cody Freeman out at 2nd. Alejandro Osuna steals 2nd base. Alejandro Osuna steals 3rd base. Thomas Saggese struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)