Holt, McGee & Miller Power Mudcats to 9-4 Win

Down East 4 @ Carolina 9

July 25, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:01 PM | Att : 1,888 | T : 3:19

WP: Miguel Guerrero (5 - 2) LP: Eris Filpo (1 - 2)

LISTEN: Post-Game Radio Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Gabe Holt had four hits, including three doubles, and both Ashton McGee and Darrien Miller hit two-run home runs as the Carolina Mudcats clinched a series win with a 9-4 victory over the Down East Wood Ducks on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium. The first place Mudcats won four of seven in the series and moved to 5.0 games ahead of Down East in the Low-A East Central standings.

Carolina (44-28) struck first after getting a double and a run from Holt in the opening frame. Down East (39-33), however, came back with a home run from Cristian Inoa to tie it and then a go-ahead RBI single from newly signed catcher Konnor Piotto in the fourth. That single was Piotto’s first career hit and scored Thomas Saggese after he doubled to start the inning.

Down East had a 2-1 lead going into the fifth before McGee delivered a two-run homer to give the Mudcats a 3-2 lead. The home run scored Holt as he doubled for the second time two batters earlier and was McGee’s sixth homer of the season. It was also his second home run in as many games and his second at home this season. Zavier Warren immediately followed with a single before scoring two batters later on a single by Ernesto Martinez.

Carolina led 4-2 after the fifth and went on to take a 7-3 lead with three more runs in the sixth inning. That inning included a RBI double from Holt, his third double of the game, and a two-run single from Felix Valerio. Miller then added to the lead in the eighth with a two-run home run as Carolina went up 9-3. The Wood Ducks then scored an unearned run against reliever Cam Robinson in the ninth, but the Mudcats would go on to win 9-4.

Robinson was the fifth and final pitcher to appear in the game for the Mudcats. He ended up allowing one unearned run over one inning and struck out two. Jhoan Cruz started and worked through four and 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on eight hits. Cruz also struck out six and walked two while finishing without a decision.

Miguel Guerrero followed and earned the victory after allowing one run on two hits over one full inning. Guerrero (5-2, 6.18) originally came into the game during the fifth, but left with two on and with two outs in the seventh. Kent Hasler followed and left both inherited runners on base while finishing off the inning. Hasler went on to return to pitch the seventh, but did not record an out while leaving with two men on base as well. Carolina then turned to Nate Peden for the seventh and he would go on to strand both inherited runners and work a scoreless eighth before giving way to Robinson.

Eris Filpo took the loss for the Wood Ducks after allowing three runs on four hits over an inning and a 1/3. He allowed three Carolina runs in the fifth. Connor Sechler then allowed three as well in the sixth. The Wood Ducks used six pitchers with Teodoro Ortega starting and Destin Dotson, Filpo (1-2, 9.35), Sechler, Spencer Mraz and Jesus Linarez following in the loss.

HOME RUNS:

Down East HR : Inoa (6, 2nd inning off Cruz, Jh, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina HR : McGee (6, 5th inning off Filpo, 1 on, 1 out); Miller (2, 8th inning off Linarez, 1 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Inoa, 3B (Down East): 3-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Saggese, 2B (Down East): 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Easley, RF (Down East): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Holt, 2B (Carolina): 4-for-5, 3 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

Miller, C (Carolina): 2-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Valerio, F, SS (Carolina): 2-for-5, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Cruz, Jh (Carolina): 4.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

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

Hasler (H, 2) (Carolina): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO

Peden (H, 2) (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Robinson (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Ortega, T (Down East): 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Dotson (Down East): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

Mraz (Down East): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Wood Ducks 0) -- Gabe Holt doubles to left field. Felix Valerio pops out to Jose Acosta. Ashton McGee singles to right-center field, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Zavier Warren out on a sacrifice fly to Alejandro Osuna, Gabe Holt scores. Micah Bello pops out to Jose Acosta.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 2nd (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 1) -- Cristian Inoa hits a home run to left field on a 1-1 pitch. Angel Aponte grounds out to Ernesto Martinez. Thomas Saggese flies out to Noah Campbell. Alejandro Osuna singles to center field. Konner Piotto walks, Alejandro Osuna to 2nd. Jose Acosta flies out to Micah Bello.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 4th (Wood Ducks 2, Mudcats 1) -- Thomas Saggese doubles to center field. Alejandro Osuna grounds out to Ernesto Martinez, Thomas Saggese to 3rd. Konner Piotto singles to right field, Thomas Saggese scores. Jose Acosta flies out to Micah Bello. Jayce Easley singles to right-center field, Konner Piotto to 2nd. Luisangel Acuna grounds into a force out, Felix Valerio to Gabe Holt, Jayce Easley out at 2nd.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 2) -- Gabe Holt doubles to left-center field. Felix Valerio strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by Eris Filpo, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Ashton McGee hits a home run to right field on a 2-2 pitch, Gabe Holt scores. Zavier Warren singles to right field. Micah Bello struck out looking. Wild pitch by Eris Filpo, Zavier Warren to 2nd. Ernesto Martinez singles through the hole at second base, Zavier Warren scores; Ernesto Martinez out at 2nd on the throw, Angel Aponte to Thomas Saggese.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 6th (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 3) -- Konner Piotto struck out looking. Jose Acosta walks. Jose Acosta caught stealing 2nd base, Darrien Miller to Felix Valerio. Jayce Easley doubles to right field. Luisangel Acuna singles to right-center field, Jayce Easley scores. Wild pitch by Miguel Guerrero, Luisangel Acuna to 2nd. Dustin Harris walks. Pitcher Change: Kent Hasler replaces Miguel Guerrero. Cristian Inoa walks, Luisangel Acuna to 3rd; Dustin Harris to 2nd. Angel Aponte flies out to Andre Nnebe.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 7, Wood Ducks 3) -- Pitcher Change: Connor Sechler replaces Eris Filpo. Noah Campbell struck out looking. Darrien Miller singles to right field. Andre Nnebe singles to right-center field, Darrien Miller to 2nd. Gabe Holt doubles to left-center field, Darrien Miller scores; Andre Nnebe to 3rd. Felix Valerio singles up the middle, Andre Nnebe scores; Gabe Holt scores. Felix Valerio out at 2nd, Konner Piotto to Jose Acosta. Ashton McGee grounds out, Cristian Inoa to Dustin Harris.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 9, Wood Ducks 3) -- Pitcher Change: Jesus Linarez replaces Spencer Mraz. Noah Campbell singles through the hole at shortstop. Darrien Miller hits a home run to right field on a 1-1 pitch, Noah Campbell scores. Andre Nnebe flies out to Angel Aponte. Gabe Holt grounds out, Thomas Saggese to Dustin Harris. Felix Valerio singles to deep shortstop. Ashton McGee hit by pitch, Felix Valerio to 2nd. Wild pitch by Jesus Linarez, Felix Valerio to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Zavier Warren walks. Micah Bello strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Wood Ducks 9th (Mudcats 9, Wood Ducks 4) -- Pitcher Change: Cam Robinson replaces Nate Peden. Cristian Inoa singles to right-center field. Angel Aponte flies out to Andre Nnebe. Cristian Inoa steals 2nd base. Thomas Saggese reaches on throwing error by Felix Valerio, Cristian Inoa scores; Thomas Saggese to 2nd. Alejandro Osuna strikes out swinging. Konner Piotto strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)