Mudcats Drop Series Opener 5-4 in Ten at Buies Creek

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Demi Orimoloye hit a two-run home run in the seventh and Trever Morrison hit a game tying solo shot in the eighth, but the Astros answered back with a walk-off single in the tenth from J.J. Matijevic while defeating the Mudcats 5-4 in ten on Tuesday night at Jim Perry Stadium.

Carolina (59-66, 25-30) was down 4-0 through the sixth before they rallied for three runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth to tie the game and eventually force extras. The Astros (71-53, 34-21), however, later brought across the winning run in the tenth while taking game one of the three game, away/home series and moving to eight games ahead of the Mudcats in the second half playoff race. Carolina's elimination number fell to five (5) with the loss.
The Astros scored first in Tuesday's series opening game after getting two, two-out runs in the first and two, two-out runs again in the fourth off Carolina's starter Jorge Ortega. 
Astros outfielder Bryan De La Cruz gave Buies Creek the lead in the first with a two-out, two RBI double off Ortega in the first. His run scoring hit followed consecutive two out hits from Osvaldo Duarte and Seth Beer. Ortega followed the two runs first with a scoreless second and third before later allowing two more runs on a two-run home run with two outs in the Buies Creek fourth. The home run came off the bat of Colton Shaver and it gave the Astros a 4-0 lead in the game.
In all, Ortega pitched through the fourth with two strikeouts, two walks and four runs allowed on six hits. He also reached 53 pitches with 38 going for strikes. Ortega was eventually followed by reliever Victor Diaz who went on to pitch through five scoreless frames. Diaz struck out four, walked two and allowed just two hits over his spotless effort. 
While Diaz kept the Astros scoreless, the Mudcats then mounted their comeback as they scored three in the seventh and one in the eighth to tie the game. Carolina's first run in the seventh came across on a bases loaded double play hit into by Mario Feliciano. Their next two two runs, however, scored on Orimoloye's fourth home run of the season. 
All three seventh inning runs were allowed in by reliever Carlos Sanabria as the Mudcats pulled within one of the lead at 4-3. Morrison then tied the game with his solo shot in the eighth off new reliever Colin McKee as Carolina came all the way back to tie the game at 4-4 and later force extras.
Sanabria worked through two innings and allowed three runs on four hits. McKee (BS, 2)(3-1, 3.94) allowed one run, but pitched through the tenth and ended up with the win, despite suffering his second blown save of the season.
The Astros then brought across the winning run in the tenth as Matijevic hit a single off the left-wall in the tenth to win the game. His hit scored inserted runner Carlos Canelon from third after he was pushed over there on a bunt moments earlier from Jacob Meyers. 
Daniel Brown pitched the tenth for Carolina and ended up with the loss. He allowed one hit and faced just three batters In the final inning.
The Mudcats left 12 men on base in the loss, including three in the second, two in the third and two in the tenth. They also went just 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
J.B. Bukauskas started for the Astros and pitched through five scoreless frames with seven strikeouts and four walks allowed. He pitched through a bases loaded jam in the second and scattered just two hits in his start.
The series will continue on Wednesday night beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek. It will then conclude on Thursday night in Zebulon, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium.
Tickets are available by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com/tickets, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, the Big Dawg 98.5 FM and via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com.
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