Mort Totals 11 Ks; Nnebe Hits Grand Slam in 7-2 Win

Augusta 2 @ Carolina 7

August 18, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 7:02 PM | Att : 825 | T : 2:59

AUG: 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 6 1
CAR: 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 0 x 7 8 1

WP: Zach Mort (1 - 0) LP: Miguel Pena (4 - 2)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

ZEBULON – Zach Mort totaled a career high 11 strikeouts in his first start with the Mudcats, Ashton McGee had a go-ahead two-run single in the third and Andre Nnebe hit a grand slam in the seventh as the Mudcats won their second straight game 7-2 versus the Augusta GreenJackets on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium.

For the second straight night, the GreenJackets (40-52) scored first after getting a run on two hits in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead against Mort (1-0, 1.29) and the Mudcats (55-37). That lone first inning run was all that Augusta could muster in the game against Mort as he went on to turn in a career outing in his first appearance with Carolina this season.

Mort set a new career high with 11 strikeouts in the game and did so while matching a career high with seven innings pitched. In all, Mort scattered four hits and allowed just the one run over seven full frames. He also faced 25 batters and finished with 95 pitches (66 strikes) in what was his first start since arriving to Carolina from High-A Wisconsin.

Trailing 1-0 after the second, Carolina then rallied to both tie the game (Noah Campbell scoring from third as Ethan Murray was caught stealing second) and take the lead with three runs in the third before later breaking the game open with Nnebe’s grand slam in the seventh.

The grand slam gave the Mudcats a 7-1 lead late in the game and was the club’s seventh of the season. It was also Nnebe’s third home run overall this year and his second grand slam. McGee also had a big bases loaded hit as his two-run single with the bags full in the third gave the Mudcats their original lead in the game at 3-1. Nnebe went 1-for-4 with a run and four RBI. McGee went 1-for-2 with two walks and two RBI.

Augusta’s Ryan Cusick started and allowed a run and one hit over two plus innings pitched. He also walked two and struck out four in what was his second appearance of the season. Miguel Pena (4-2, 6.31) followed in the third in place of Cusick and ended up the loss after allowing McGee’s go-ahead single. Austin Smith and Ben Thompson also pitched for the GreenJackets, with Thompson allowing Nnebe’s grand slam late in the game.

Offensively, Willie Carter went 2-for-4 with a RBI single in the first for Augusta. Carter and Cade Bunnel both had two hits in the game for the GreenJackets. Landon Stephens went 1-for-4 with a RBI double in the ninth.

Carolina had relievers Kent Hasler and Justin Miller follow Mort’s seven-inning start. Hasler retired three straight in a scoreless eighth and Miller allowed a run and two doubles in the ninth in his Mudcats’ debut.

Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the series with Wednesday’s victory and remained ahead of both Salem and Down East for the second-best record overall in Low-A East this season. Salem lost and fell two games back of Carolina, while Down East kept pace while staying 1.5 games back with a road victory in Kannapolis.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Nnebe (3, 7th inning off Thompson, B, 3 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bunnell, 2B (Augusta): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Carter, LF (Augusta): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Conley, SS (Augusta): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Mort (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO

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

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

Cusick (Augusta): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

Pena (L, 4-2) (Augusta): 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO

Smith (Augusta): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

SCORING:

GreenJackets 1st (GreenJackets 1, Mudcats 0) -- Cal Conley doubles to right field. Cade Bunnell strikes out swinging. Bryson Horne strikes out swinging. Willie Carter singles up the middle, Cal Conley scores. Landon Stephens strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 3, GreenJackets 1) -- Noah Campbell hit by pitch. Sal Frelick singles to shallow right field, Noah Campbell to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Miguel Pena replaces Ryan Cusick. Ethan Murray grounds into a force out, Miguel Pena to Cade Bunnell, Noah Campbell to 3rd; Sal Frelick out at 2nd. Ethan Murray caught stealing 2nd base, Ricardo Rodriguez to Cade Bunnell, Noah Campbell scores. Freddy Zamora singles to deep shortstop. Alex Binelas singles through the hole at second base, Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Wes Clarke walks, Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Alex Binelas to 2nd. Ashton McGee singles to right field, Freddy Zamora scores; Alex Binelas scores; Wes Clarke to 3rd. Micah Bello strikes out swinging.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 7, GreenJackets 1) -- Pitcher Change: Ben Thompson replaces Austin Smith. Alex Binelas doubles to right field. Wes Clarke reaches on throwing error by Justyn-Henry Malloy. Ashton McGee walks, Alex Binelas to 3rd; Wes Clarke to 2nd. Micah Bello lines out to Justyn-Henry Malloy. Andre Nnebe hits a grand slam to right field on a 1-0 pitch, Alex Binelas scores; Wes Clarke scores; Ashton McGee scores. Noah Campbell flies out to Christian Robinson. Sal Frelick grounds out, Ben Thompson to Landon Stephens.

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

GreenJackets 9th (Mudcats 7, GreenJackets 2) -- Pitcher Change: Justin Miller replaces Kent Hasler. Cade Bunnell doubles to right-center field. Passed ball by Wes Clarke, Cade Bunnell to 3rd. Bryson Horne grounds out, Ethan Murray to Noah Campbell, Cade Bunnell scores. Willie Carter struck out looking. Landon Stephens doubles to right-center field. Ricardo Rodriguez pops out to Freddy Zamora.

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