Miller Matches Team Record With 3 HRs in 10-8 Victory

Delmarva 8 @ Carolina 10

September 01, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:16 PM | T : 3:12 (:16 delay)

DEL: 2 0 0 2 0 3 1 0 0 8 12 1

CAR: 0 0 1 3 0 5 0 1 x 10 9 2

WP: Nate Peden (1 - 0) LP: Leonardo Rodriguez (2 - 2) SV: James Meeker (4)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Darrien Miller hit a game-tying three-run home run in the fourth, a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth and a solo blast in the eighth while leading the Mudcats to a 10-8 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium. Miller went 3-for-4 with three runs and eight RBI while also matching a franchise record with three home runs in his historic performance.

The three home run game was Carolina’s first since 2007 when Jai Miller homered three times on July 24, 2007 in Tennessee. Jai Miller’s three homer game, however, spanned two days as it originally started on July 24 before being stopped due to rain. It then resumed and was concluded on July 25. Additionally, Darrien Miller’s eight RBI night fell one shy of matching the franchise record of nine RBI in a single game which was set earlier this season by Ashton McGee on July 14, 2021 in Kannapolis.

The Mudcats (62-42) originally trailed in the game 2-0 in the first after Jacob Teter drove in two Delmarva (58-46) runs in the opening frame against starter Brendan Murphy. Teter went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the game for the Shorebirds. Murphy worked just the first for Carolina and allowed two runs on three hits over one inning in what was his first appearance since August 10.

Carolina later got within one of the lead with a run scoring hit from Tyler Black in the third, but the Shorebirds rallied for two more runs in the fourth while taking a 4-1 lead. Catcher Logan Michaels singled in a run in the fourth and also scored one of his own after stealing second and come across with help of a throwing error by Miller.

Trailing 4-1, Miller then blasted his game-tying three-run home run in the Carolina half of the fourth while resetting the game at 4-4. That home run came against reliever Shane Davis and accounted for three of the four Davis allowed in the game. Davis worked an inning and 2/3 and allowed four runs (one earned) in relief of starter Ty Blach. Blach pitched through two scoreless and struck out two in his rehab appearance with the Shorebirds.

The 4-4 tie disappeared in the sixth when John Rhodes and Michaels made it 7-4 Delmarva with back-to-back run scoring hits against reliever Nate Peden. Peden (1-0, 4.55) allowed three runs and four hits, but ended up with his first win of the season.

Trailing 7-4, Miller would go on to give the Mudcats their first lead of the night while blasting a grand slam down the right field line. The grand slam was Carolina’s ninth of the season and Miller’s second home run of the game. Hedbert Perez also had a run-scoring single, also his first hit with the Mudcats, in the sixth. The Shorebirds would add another run in the seventh, but Miller struck again with a solo home run in the eighth while giving Carolina its 10-8 lead.

James Meeker worked the final two innings for the Mudcats and earned a six-out save while working a scoreless eighth and ninth. Meeker (S, 4) also earned his fourth save while allowing one hit, walking two and totaling one strikeout.

With both Salem and Down East rained out in their respective games, Carolina’s lead in the race for the second playoff berth improved to 1.0 over the Red Sox and 1.5 games over the Wood Ducks.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Miller, D 3 (6, 4th inning off Davis, 2 on, 2 out, 6th inning off Rodriguez, L, 3 on, 1 out, 8th inning off Girard, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Miller, D, C (Carolina): 3-for-4, 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI

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

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

Campbell, LF (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

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

Teter, 1B (Delmarva): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Rhodes, RF (Delmarva): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Michaels, C (Delmarva): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Tripp (Carolina): 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Peden (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Long (H, 4) (Carolina): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

Meeker (S, 4) (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO

Blach (Fredericksburg): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Lloyd (Fredericksburg): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

Girard (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

SCORING:

Shorebirds 1st (Shorebirds 2, Mudcats 0) -- Darell Hernaiz lines out to Zack Raabe. Mason Janvrin bunt singles to shallow left field. Connor Norby singles to left-center field, Mason Janvrin to 2nd. Colton Cowser walks, Mason Janvrin to 3rd; Connor Norby to 2nd. Coby Mayo strikes out swinging. Jacob Teter singles to left-center field, Mason Janvrin scores; Connor Norby scores; Colton Cowser to 3rd. Billy Cook grounds out to Wes Clarke.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Shorebirds 2, Mudcats 1) -- Pitcher Change: Shane Davis replaces Ty Blach. Zack Raabe walks. Wild pitch by Shane Davis, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Ethan Murray lines out to Colton Cowser. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Tyler Black singles to left-center field, Zack Raabe scores; Tyler Black out at 2nd on the throw, Mason Janvrin to Logan Michaels to Connor Norby.

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

Shorebirds 4th (Shorebirds 4, Mudcats 1) -- Billy Cook walks. Billy Cook steals 2nd base. Wild pitch by Christian Tripp, Billy Cook to 3rd. John Rhodes strikes out swinging. Logan Michaels singles to right field, Billy Cook scores. Logan Michaels steals 2nd base, Logan Michaels scores; throwing error by Darrien Miller. Darell Hernaiz strikes out swinging. Mason Janvrin flies out to Hedbert Perez.

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

Mudcats 4th (Shorebirds 4, Mudcats 4) -- Alex Binelas reaches on fielding error by Jacob Teter. Wes Clarke walks, Alex Binelas to 2nd. Noah Campbell struck out looking. Micah Bello strikes out swinging. Darrien Miller hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch, Alex Binelas scores; Wes Clarke scores. Pitcher Change: Leonardo Rodriguez replaces Shane Davis. Zack Raabe grounds out, Darell Hernaiz to Jacob Teter.

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

Shorebirds 6th (Shorebirds 7, Mudcats 4) -- Jacob Teter hit by pitch. Billy Cook doubles to center field, Jacob Teter to 3rd. John Rhodes doubles to left field, Jacob Teter scores; Billy Cook scores. Logan Michaels singles to left-center field, John Rhodes scores; Logan Michaels advances to 2nd on throwing error by Noah Campbell. Darell Hernaiz flies out to Hedbert Perez. Mason Janvrin strikes out swinging. Connor Norby flies out to Micah Bello.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 9, Shorebirds 7) -- Alex Binelas singles to right-center field. Wes Clarke flies out to Mason Janvrin. Noah Campbell walks, Alex Binelas to 2nd. Micah Bello singles to left-center field, Alex Binelas to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Darrien Miller hits a grand slam on a 1-0 pitch, Alex Binelas scores; Noah Campbell scores; Micah Bello scores. Zack Raabe walks. Pitcher Change: Daniel Lloyd replaces Leonardo Rodriguez. Wild pitch by Daniel Lloyd, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Ethan Murray walks. Hedbert Perez singles through the hole at second base, Zack Raabe scores; Hedbert Perez out at 2nd on the throw, John Rhodes to Darell Hernaiz, Ethan Murray to 3rd. Tyler Black strikes out swinging.

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

Shorebirds 7th (Mudcats 9, Shorebirds 8) -- Pitcher Change: Peyton Long replaces Nate Peden. Colton Cowser flies out to Noah Campbell. Coby Mayo doubles through the hole at shortstop. Jacob Teter singles to right field, Coby Mayo scores. Billy Cook pops out to Zack Raabe in foul territory. John Rhodes grounds into a force out, Ethan Murray to Zack Raabe, Jacob Teter out at 2nd.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 10, Shorebirds 8) -- Pitcher Change: Thomas Girard replaces Daniel Lloyd. Darrien Miller hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch. Zack Raabe flies out to John Rhodes. Ethan Murray flies out to Colton Cowser. Hedbert Perez strikes out on foul tip.

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