Martinez Homer Sparks Comeback in 6-5 Victory
ZEBULON – Ernesto Martinez hit a game tying home run while sparking a four run Carolina seventh inning and the Mudcats erased an early deficit while defeating the visiting Fayetteville Woodpeckers 6-5 on Opening Night at Five County Stadium. Carolina (1-0) trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh before Martinez blasted
ZEBULON – Ernesto Martinez hit a game tying home run while sparking a four run Carolina seventh inning and the Mudcats erased an early deficit while defeating the visiting Fayetteville Woodpeckers 6-5 on Opening Night at Five County Stadium.
Carolina (1-0) trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh before Martinez blasted a solo home run off reliever Misael Tamarez to start, what ended up being, a four-run rally. Tamarez (L, 0-1) originally entered in the sixth and would end up allowing two runs in his first inning, before allowing four more in the seventh. In all, Tamarez allowed all six Carolina runs while taking the loss and blown save for Fayetteville (0-1).
Carolina starter Jhoan Cruz matched a career high with seven strikeouts but ended up without a decision after leaving the game in the fourth with the Mudcats trailing 3-0. Cruz struck out four batters over the first two innings, but later allowed three runs in the third. Two of those three scored on a two-run home run from Fayetteville’s Nerio Rodriguez. Relievers Juan Geraldo and Abner Uribe followed with three scoreless frames, including two from Geraldo and one from Uribe. Uribe (W, 1-0) ended up with the victory after working the top half of Carolina’s game changing seventh inning.
The Mudcats originally started their comeback in the sixth after scoring twice off Tamarez. Micah Bello drove in Carolina’s first run of the season with a run-scoring single, while a balk plated the second. Bello went 2-for-4 with a RBI in his Carolina debut. The Carolina seventh then started with Martinez’s home run and continued with a RBI single from Freddy Zamora (his first hit as a pro) and run scoring wild pitches lost by reliever Jonathan Sprinkle later in the inning.
The Woodpeckers later rallied for two more runs over the final two frames, but the Mudcats and reliever Cam Robinson held on for the victory. Robinson (S, 1) worked the final frame and picked up his second career save. Reliever Peyton Long pitched around a home run from J.C. Correra in the eighth and earned his first hold of the season.
HOME RUNS:
Fayetteville HR: Rodriguez, Ne (1, 3rd inning off Cruz, Jh, 1 on, 2 out); Correa (1, 8th inning off Long, 0 on, 1 out).
Carolina HR: Martinez, E (1, 7th inning off Tamarez, 0 on, 0 out).
TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Correa, 2B (Fayetteville): 3-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Rodriguez, Ne, C (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Paulino, 1B (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Bello, LF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Zamora, SS (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-3, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Cruz, Jh (Carolina): 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO
Geraldo (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Uribe (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Gomez (Fayetteville): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
Sprinkle (Fayetteville): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
SCORING:
Woodpeckers 3rd (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 0) -- Luis Guerrero singles to shallow left field. Throwing error by Jhoan Cruz on the pickoff attempt. Ronaldo Urdaneta struck out looking. Wild pitch by Jhoan Cruz, Luis Guerrero to 3rd. Matthew Barefoot out on a sacrifice fly to Joe Gray Jr., Luis Guerrero scores. J.C. Correa singles to left-center field. Nerio Rodriguez hits a home run to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch, J.C. Correa scores. Juan Paulino strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)
Mudcats 6th (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Misael Tamarez replaces Cesar Gomez. Gabe Holt singles to right-center field. Felix Valerio flies out to Luis Guerrero. Freddy Zamora pops out to J.C. Correa. Wild pitch by Misael Tamarez, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joey Wiemer hit by pitch. Micah Bello singles to left-center field, Gabe Holt scores; Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Zavier Warren hit by pitch, Joey Wiemer to 3rd; Micah Bello to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. pops out to Nerio Rodriguez.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)
Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 3) -- Ernesto Martinez hits a home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch. Arbert Cipion walks. Arbert Cipion steals 2nd base. Gabe Holt walks. Felix Valerio pops out to Yeuris Ramirez in foul territory. Freddy Zamora singles to left-center field, Arbert Cipion scores; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Jonathan Sprinkle replaces Misael Tamarez. Wild pitch by Jonathan Sprinkle, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Joey Wiemer walks. Wild pitch by Jonathan Sprinkle, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Micah Bello strikes out on foul tip. Wild pitch by Jonathan Sprinkle, Freddy Zamora scores; Joey Wiemer to 3rd. Zavier Warren struck out looking.
(4 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Woodpeckers 8th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 4) -- Pitcher Change: Peyton Long replaces Abner Uribe. Matthew Barefoot strikes out swinging. J.C. Correa hits a home run to right field on a 0-1 pitch. Nerio Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Juan Paulino singles through the hole at second base. Yeuris Ramirez walks, Juan Paulino to 2nd. Carlos Machado grounds into a force out, Freddy Zamora to Felix Valerio, Juan Paulino out at 3rd.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)
Woodpeckers 9th (Mudcats 6, Woodpeckers 5) -- Pitcher Change: Cam Robinson replaces Peyton Long. Adonis Giron reaches on fielding error by Ernesto Martinez. Luis Guerrero strikes out swinging. Ronaldo Urdaneta singles through the hole at second base, Adonis Giron scores; Ronaldo Urdaneta to 3rd; fielding error by Joey Wiemer. Matthew Barefoot reaches on a fielder's choice out, Freddy Zamora to Zavier Warren, Ronaldo Urdaneta out at home. J.C. Correa singles to deep shortstop, Matthew Barefoot to 2nd.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 2 Errors, 2 LOB)