Mudcats Allow Four Home Runs in 14-6 Loss

ZEBULON – Zavier Warren and Joey Wiemer both hit solo home runs and Joe Gray Jr. hit his professional baseball leading sixth triple of the season, but all that offense proved not enough as the Woodpeckers defeated Carolina 14-6 on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium.

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault's Post-Game Interview

The Mudcats (22-15) lost a 3-1 lead in the third after allowing eight Fayetteville (15-22) runs while falling behind 9-3. That eight run third ended up being the highest scoring inning for a Carolina opponent this season. Carolina went on to cut the lead to 9-5 in the seventh before the Woodpeckers added five more in the eighth while running away with the series tying victory.

Jhoan Cruz started for Carolina and took the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits over two and 1/3 innings pitched. Cruz (2-4, 8.72) gave up a solo home run to Jordan Brewer in the first and allowed a three-run home run to Justin Dirden in the third. Cruz also walked two and struck out one in the loss.

Reliever Diosmerky Tamarez pitched the fourth, fifth and part of the sixth and ended up earning the victory. Tamarez (1-1, 7.20) struck out five and walked three over two and 2/3 while getting the win.

Brewer, Dirden and Luke Berryhill all homered in the game for the visiting Woodpeckers. For Berryhill it was a two homer night as he connected on a home runs in the third off reliever Joey Matulovich and in the eighth off Kent Hasler. Berryhill’s homer off Hasler was a three-run blast that ended up putting the game out of reach.

Carolina’s three run second began with a home run by Warren and continued with Andre Nnebe reaching on a single and later scoring on a double steal with Nnebe taking home and Arbert Cipion swiping second. The second then continued a two-out run scoring hit from Gabe Holt.

Trailing 9-3, the Mudcats managed to get on the board again in the third after Gray tripled and scored on a single from Warren. Gray went 2-for-4 with a run, a walk and a triple in the loss. Warren went 2-for-3 with a run, a home run and two RBI. Wiemer also had a multi-hit game while going 2-for-3 with his homer in the seventh.

Felix Valerio reached on a bunt hit in the first while extending his hitting streak to 10 straight games. He went 2-for-5 overall and has hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games.

Both pitching staffs issued nine walks in the game and both allowed double digits in hits. It was the home run ball that eventually gave Fayetteville their four-game losing streak snapping victory. The Woodpeckers totaled two three-run home runs in the game and ended up going 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Mudcats had just two hits with runners in scoring position and went 0-for-3 with the bases loaded in the loss.

The series continues on Thursday night with Carolina sending LHP Brock Begue to the mound for the start. Tickets are available at www.carolinamudcats.com and at 919-269-2287.

HOME RUNS:

Fayetteville HR : Brewer (1, 1st inning off Cruz, Jh, 0 on, 2 out); Dirden (4, 3rd inning off Cruz, Jh, 2 on, 0 out); Berryhill 2 (3, 3rd inning off Matulovich, 1 on, 1 out, 8th inning off Hasler, 2 on, 2 out).

Carolina HR : Warren (4, 2nd inning off Barry, 0 on, 0 out); Wiemer (3, 7th inning off Schroeder, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Whitcomb, SS (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 1 R

Brewer, DH (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Berryhill, 1B (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI

Valerio, F, SS (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B

Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 3B

Warren, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Wiemer, RF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Matulovich (Carolina): 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

Hasler (Carolina): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Tamarez (W, 1-1) (Fayetteville): 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO

Jaquez (Fayetteville): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Sprinkle (Fayetteville): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Woodpeckers 1st (Woodpeckers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Shay Whitcomb singles up the middle. Jhoan Cruz picks off Shay Whitcomb at on throw to Ernesto Martinez. J.C. Correa flies out to Joey Wiemer. Jordan Brewer hits a home run to left-center field on a 3-2 pitch. Bryan Arias walks. Justin Dirden flies out to Joe Gray Jr.

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

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 1) -- Zavier Warren hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch. Joey Wiemer singles to center field. Darrien Miller grounds into double play, Yohander Martinez to Shay Whitcomb to Luke Berryhill, Joey Wiemer out at 2nd, Darrien Miller out at 1st. Andre Nnebe singles to deep shortstop. Wild pitch by Shea Barry, Andre Nnebe to 2nd. Wild pitch by Shea Barry, Andre Nnebe to 3rd. Arbert Cipion walks. Arbert Cipion steals 2nd base, Andre Nnebe steals home. Gabe Holt singles to left-center field, Arbert Cipion scores. Felix Valerio flies out to Zach Daniels.

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

Woodpeckers 3rd (Woodpeckers 9, Mudcats 3) -- Yohander Martinez hit by pitch. Shay Whitcomb singles to left-center field, Yohander Martinez to 2nd. J.C. Correa singles to center field, Yohander Martinez scores; J.C. Correa to 2nd; throwing error by Joe Gray Jr. Jordan Brewer doubles to right-center field, Shay Whitcomb scores; J.C. Correa scores. Bryan Arias walks. Justin Dirden hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch, Jordan Brewer scores; Bryan Arias scores. Zach Daniels flies out to Arbert Cipion. Nerio Rodriguez singles to deep shortstop. Pitcher Change: Joey Matulovich replaces Jhoan Cruz. Luke Berryhill hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-2 pitch, Nerio Rodriguez scores. Yohander Martinez strikes out swinging. Shay Whitcomb walks. J.C. Correa lines out to Joey Wiemer.

(8 Runs, 6 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Woodpeckers 9, Mudcats 4) -- Joe Gray Jr. triples to left field. Ernesto Martinez pops out to Shay Whitcomb. Zavier Warren singles to right-center field, Joe Gray Jr. scores. Joey Wiemer strikes out swinging. Darrien Miller hit by pitch, Zavier Warren to 2nd. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 7th (Woodpeckers 9, Mudcats 5) -- Pitcher Change: Jayson Schroeder replaces Ernesto Jaquez. Zavier Warren struck out looking. Joey Wiemer hits a home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch. Darrien Miller strikes out swinging. Andre Nnebe walks. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging.

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

Woodpeckers 8th (Woodpeckers 14, Mudcats 5) -- J.C. Correa walks. Jordan Brewer walks, J.C. Correa to 2nd. Bryan Arias singles to left-center field, J.C. Correa scores; Jordan Brewer to 3rd. Justin Dirden grounds into a force out, Gabe Holt to Felix Valerio, Jordan Brewer scores; Bryan Arias out at 2nd. Zach Daniels walks, Justin Dirden to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Kent Hasler replaces Jackson Gillis. Wild pitch by Kent Hasler, Justin Dirden to 3rd; Zach Daniels to 2nd. Nerio Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Luke Berryhill hits a home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch, Justin Dirden scores; Zach Daniels scores. Yohander Martinez strikes out on foul tip.

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

Mudcats 8th (Woodpeckers 14, Mudcats 6) -- Gabe Holt grounds out, Shay Whitcomb to Luke Berryhill. Felix Valerio doubles to center field. Joe Gray Jr. strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by Jayson Schroeder, Felix Valerio to 3rd. Ernesto Martinez walks. Wild pitch by Jayson Schroeder, Felix Valerio scores; Ernesto Martinez to 3rd. Zavier Warren walks. Joey Wiemer walks. Pitcher Change: Jonathan Sprinkle replaces Jayson Schroeder. Darrien Miller grounds out, Yohander Martinez to Luke Berryhill.

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