Mudcats and Wood Ducks Split Doubleheader

ZEBULON – Ashton McGee came through in the clutch with a walk-off double in game one, but TK Roby shut down the Mudcats in game two as the Carolina and Down East split Friday’s doubleheader 6-5 and 5-1 at Five County Stadium. The two teams both went to 17-10 on the season after the split and remained tied for first in the Low-A Central division.

The Mudcats (17-10) took game one 5-4 despite wasting a late 4-0 lead and falling behind in the seventh. They ended up rallying back with a game-tying home run on the first pitch of the seventh from Joe Gray Jr. before then getting McGee’s game winning double. Joe Corbett (1-1, 2.89) allowed the Gray homer and McGee game-winner while taking the loss and blown save.

Gray’s game-tying home run in the seventh was his team leading eighth of the season and locked the game at 5-5. Gray tallied two hits in both games while extending his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games.

The Mudcats originally led 5-0 through the fifth in game one, but saw that lead slip away when the Wood Ducks (17-10) came back with a three-run homer from Luisangel Acuna in the sixth (off Brandon Knarr), before scoring with help from two Carolina errors in the seventh.

Carolina’s Cam Robinson worked the seventh in the first game and suffered a blown save after allowing one earned run and two total runs in the inning. He allowed the tying run to score from third on an errant pickoff to first and then gave up a go-ahead RBI single to Evan Carter. Peyton Long (1-0, 8.64) eventually came in for the rest of the seventh and went on to retire one batter faced, while stranding two inherited runners.

Carolina first led game one 3-0 after a sacrifice fly from Arbert Cipion and a two-run, two-out single from Freddy Zamora in the second. Zamora went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two stolen bases in game one. Gabe Holt singled and scored on Zamora’s hit in the third. Holt hit safely in both games and ran his hitting streak to 11 straight.

The second game belonged to the Wood Ducks from the second inning on as Xavier Valentin gave them the early lead with a three-run homer off Jhoan Cruz. The homer was Valentin’s first of the season and put Down East up 3-0.

The Wood Ducks closed out the game two, series tying, victory with four straight two-out hits and two, two-out runs in the seventh off Miguel Guerrero. Dustin Harris and Cody Freeman both doubled and scored in the seventh for the Wood Ducks.

Carolina’s lone run in game two came in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Gray. That sac fly scored Daniel Castillo after he was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.

Roby (1-2, 3.18) pitched game two and allowed just the one Carolina run over five innings pitched.

Cruz (2-2,6.08) took the loss after allowed Valentin’s homer and three runs overall on seven hits over five and 2/3 innings. He also walked two and struck out two.

The Wood Ducks took a two games to one lead in the, now, five-game series. They also remained in a tie for first with the Mudcats following the split.

GAME ONE:

HOME RUNS:

Down East HR : Acuna (3, 6th inning off Knarr, 2 on, 2 out).

Carolina HR : Gray Jr. (8, 7th inning off Corbett, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Acuna, SS (Down East): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Easley, RF (Down East): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Harris, DH (Down East): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Moss, 2B (Down East): 1-for-3, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Zamora, SS (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
McGee, 1B (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Bullock (Carolina): 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
Long (W, 2-0) (Carolina): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Collyer (Down East): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
Lockhart (Down East): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

SCORING SUMMARY:
Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 3, Wood Ducks 0) -- Noah Campbell flies out to Antonio Cabello. Joey Wiemer hit by pitch. Ashton McGee walks, Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Darrien Miller walks, Joey Wiemer to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Arbert Cipion out on a sacrifice fly to Jayce Easley, Joey Wiemer scores. Gabe Holt singles to deep shortstop, Ashton McGee to 3rd; Darrien Miller to 2nd. Freddy Zamora singles through the hole at second base, Ashton McGee scores; Darrien Miller scores; Gabe Holt to 3rd. Freddy Zamora steals 2nd base. Joe Gray Jr. flies out to Antonio Cabello.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 0) -- Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging. Gabe Holt grounds out, Thomas Saggese to Cristian Inoa. Freddy Zamora hit by pitch. Joe Gray Jr. doubles to left-center field, Freddy Zamora scores. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 6th (Mudcats 4, Wood Ducks 3) -- Evan Carter flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Dustin Harris singles to left-center field. Thomas Saggese strikes out swinging. Cristian Inoa walks, Dustin Harris to 2nd. Luisangel Acuna hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch, Dustin Harris scores; Cristian Inoa scores. Keithron Moss strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 4) -- Pitcher Change: Cam Robinson replaces Brandon Knarr. Antonio Cabello struck out looking. Randy Florentino strikes out swinging, Randy Florentino to 1st;wild pitch by Cam Robinson. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Obie Ricumstrict replaces Randy Florentino. Jayce Easley reaches on throwing error by Noah Campbell, Obie Ricumstrict to 3rd. Throwing error by Cam Robinson on the pickoff attempt, Obie Ricumstrict scores. Evan Carter singles to left-center field, Jayce Easley scores; Evan Carter advances to 2nd on fielding error by Arbert Cipion. Dustin Harris walks. Thomas Saggese grounds into a force out, fielded by Noah Campbell, Evan Carter out at 3rd, Dustin Harris to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Peyton Long replaces Cam Robinson. Cristian Inoa flies out to Joey Wiemer.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 3 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Wood Ducks 5) -- Defensive Substitution: Xavier Valentin replaces Obie Ricumstrict, batting 9th, playing catcher. Pitcher Change: Joe Corbett replaces Nick Lockhart. Joe Gray Jr. hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch. Ernesto Martinez singles up the middle. Noah Campbell grounds into a force out, Keithron Moss to Luisangel Acuna, Ernesto Martinez out at 2nd. Joey Wiemer walks, Noah Campbell to 2nd.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

GAME TWO:

HOME RUNS:

Down East HR : Valentin (1, 2nd inning off Cruz, Jh, 2 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Harris, 1B (Down East): 3-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Acuna, SS (Down East): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Valentin, DH (Down East): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Valerio, F, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Wiemer, RF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
McGee, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-2, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Cruz, Jh (L, 2-2) (Carolina): 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
Roby (W, 1-2) (Down East): 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
Smith, J (H, 2) (Down East): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Tejada (Down East): 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

*SCORING SUMMARY: *
Wood Ducks 2nd (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 0) -- Luisangel Acuna singles to right field. Keyber Rodriguez singles to center field, Keyber Rodriguez to 2nd; fielding error by Joe Gray Jr. Xavier Valentin hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch, Luisangel Acuna scores; Keyber Rodriguez scores. Obie Ricumstrict grounds out, Daniel Castillo to Ernesto Martinez. Jayce Easley walks. Evan Carter lines out to Joe Gray Jr. Dustin Harris singles to right-center field, Jayce Easley to 3rd. Cody Freeman lines out to Joey Wiemer.
(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 1) -- Daniel Castillo hit by pitch. Gabe Holt singles through the hole at second base, Daniel Castillo to 2nd. Felix Valerio grounds into a force out, Luisangel Acuna to Cristian Inoa, Daniel Castillo to 3rd; Gabe Holt out at 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. out on a sacrifice fly to Obie Ricumstrict, Daniel Castillo scores. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 5, Mudcats 1) -- Noah Campbell remains in the game as the third baseman. Jayce Easley strikes out swinging. Evan Carter grounds out to Ernesto Martinez. Dustin Harris doubles through the hole at shortstop. Cody Freeman doubles to left-center field, Dustin Harris scores. Cristian Inoa singles to right-center field, Cody Freeman scores. Luisangel Acuna singles to right field, Cristian Inoa to 2nd. Keyber Rodriguez pops out to Felix Valerio.
(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)