Mudcats Match Team Record For Hits in 19-10 Win

Carolina 19 @ Down East 10

August 11, 2021 | Venue : Grainger Stadium | First pitch : 7:32 PM | Att : 1,168 | T : 3:49

WP: Brandon Knarr (7 - 2) LP: John Matthews (2 - 4)

KINSTON – Gabe Holt totaled four hits, Noah Campbell hit a two-run home run, and three different Mudcats had two doubles as the Mudcats matched a team record with 24 and set a franchise record for doubles in a game with 11 in Wednesday’s 19-10 victory versus the Wood Ducks.

The Wood Ducks (48-37) originally led 1-0 in the first after getting a run-scoring groundout from Luisangel Acuna. That lone Down East run was allowed in by starter Brandon Knarr, but was the only run allowed by Carolina’s starter in his brilliant outing. Knarr (7-2) allowed just one run on two hits and struck out seven while pitching through the fifth for the Mudcats (52-34).

While Knarr dealt on the mound, the Carolina offense supported him in a big way while quickly erasing the early deficit with two runs in the second, four in the third, five in the fourth, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in both the seventh and eighth while totaling 19 runs before it was all said and done. The Wood Ducks later rallied for another run in the seventh and eight in the eighth, but Carolina went on to win 19-10.

The Carolina offense matched a franchise record with 24 hits in the game; matching a record originally set on July 6, 1997 vs. Huntsville. While Carolina came up short in setting a new hits record, they did total a franchise record 11 doubles in the game with all but one player registering at least one double. Three players had two doubles in the game including Freddy Zamora, Wes Clarke and Micah Bello.

It was a double from Alex Hall that scored Carolina’s first runs of the game in the second. His two-run double was one of two hits in the inning off starter John Matthews and put the Mudcats up 2-1. The Mudcats then recorded four straight hits - including three straight doubles from Zamora, Ashton McGee (two-run double) and Clarke – while scoring four runs in the third. That four run frame would be the final frame for Matthews (2-4, 7.78) who allowed six runs and six hits over three innings in the loss.

Carolina led 6-1 after the third, but then burst out for five more runs and five more hits in the fourth to take an 11-1 lead. That five hit and five run frame included a run-scoring single from Holt, a RBI single from Zamora, a bases loaded walk for Clarke, and a RBI single from Hall.

Three more Carolina runs came across in the fifth as Felix Valerio drove in one with a RBI double and Holt came through a RBI double of his own in the sixth. Carolina led 7-1 through six, but then added two more on a two-run home run from Campbell in the seventh. Finally, Bello capped the high-scoring game with a ground rule double that scored two more for the Mudcats in the eighth.

In the end, eight different Mudcats had at least two hits in the game and eight players scored at least one run. Carolina also saw eight different Mudcats drive in at least one run as well.

Carolina improved to 11-2 in games started by Knarr with the victory. Knarr was later followed by relievers Nate Peden, Brock Begue and Kent Hasler. Peden allowed a run on four hits over two innings. Begue allowed four hits as well, but also saw eight runs (one earned) score in the eighth. Hasler eventually finished the game with a scoreless ninth.

With the victory, the Mudcats moved to 3.5 games ahead of the Wood Ducks in the Low-A East Central standings. Carolina also tied the series at 1-1 with the game two of six victory. The series will continue on Thursday night beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Grainger Stadium in Kinston.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina Campbell (4, 7th inning off Yoder, 1 on, 2 out).

Down East HR : Saggese (8, 8th inning off Begue, 3 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Holt, 3B (Carolina): 4-for-7, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Zamora, SS (Carolina): 3-for-6, 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Valerio, F, 2B (Carolina): 3-for-4, 5 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

Bello, RF (Carolina): 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Saggese, DH (Down East): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Rodriguez, K, SS (Down East): 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Saggese, DH (Down East): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI

Pena, 1B (Down East): 1-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Acosta, 3B (Down East): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Knarr (W, 7-2) (Carolina): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO

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

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

Dotson (Down East): 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Inoa (Down East): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Wood Ducks 1st (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 0) -- Jayce Easley hit by pitch. Jayce Easley steals 2nd base. Jayce Easley steals 3rd base. Daniel Mateo strikes out swinging. Luisangel Acuna grounds out, Gabe Holt to Ashton McGee, Jayce Easley scores. Keyber Rodriguez flies out to Sal Frelick.

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

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 2, Wood Ducks 1) -- Felix Valerio singles to right-center field. Ashton McGee flies out to Angel Aponte. Felix Valerio steals 2nd base. Wes Clarke flies out to Jayce Easley. Felix Valerio steals 3rd base. Micah Bello walks. Alex Hall doubles to right-center field, Felix Valerio scores; Micah Bello scores. Noah Campbell strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 6, Wood Ducks 1) -- Sal Frelick strikes out swinging. Gabe Holt flies out to Jayce Easley. Freddy Zamora doubles to left field. Felix Valerio walks. Ashton McGee doubles to left-center field, Freddy Zamora scores; Felix Valerio scores. Wes Clarke doubles to center field, Ashton McGee scores. Micah Bello singles to center field, Wes Clarke scores. Alex Hall strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 11, Wood Ducks 1) -- Pitcher Change: Eris Filpo replaces John Matthews. Noah Campbell singles to left-center field. Sal Frelick grounds out to Eris Filpo, Noah Campbell to 2nd. Gabe Holt singles to left-center field, Noah Campbell scores; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Freddy Zamora singles to right field, Gabe Holt scores. Felix Valerio singles to right field, Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Ashton McGee walks, Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Wes Clarke walks, Freddy Zamora scores; Felix Valerio to 3rd; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Micah Bello strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by Eris Filpo, Felix Valerio scores; Ashton McGee to 3rd; Wes Clarke to 2nd. Alex Hall singles to left-center field, Ashton McGee scores; Wes Clarke to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Nick Yoder replaces Eris Filpo. Noah Campbell strikes out swinging, Brady Smith to Yenci Pena.

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

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 14, Wood Ducks 1) -- Sal Frelick singles to right-center field. Gabe Holt singles to right-center field, Gabe Holt to 2nd; fielding error by Daniel Mateo. Freddy Zamora out on a sacrifice fly to Angel Aponte, Sal Frelick scores. Felix Valerio doubles to left field, Gabe Holt scores. Ashton McGee reaches on throwing error by Nick Yoder, Felix Valerio scores. Wes Clarke walks, Ashton McGee to 2nd. Micah Bello grounds into a force out, fielded by Jose Acosta, Ashton McGee out at 3rd, Wes Clarke to 2nd. Wes Clarke advances to 3rd on a balk; Micah Bello advances to 2nd on a balk. Alex Hall struck out looking.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 15, Wood Ducks 1) -- Noah Campbell doubles to right field. Sal Frelick flies out to Jayce Easley. Gabe Holt doubles to left-center field, Noah Campbell scores. Freddy Zamora grounds out, Luisangel Acuna to Yenci Pena, Gabe Holt to 3rd. Felix Valerio walks. Ashton McGee grounds out, Luisangel Acuna to Yenci Pena.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 17, Wood Ducks 1) -- Wes Clarke grounds out, Luisangel Acuna to Yenci Pena. Micah Bello doubles through the hole at shortstop. Alex Hall grounds out, Jose Acosta to Yenci Pena. Noah Campbell hits a home run to right-center field on a 2-0 pitch, Micah Bello scores. Sal Frelick singles through the hole at second base. Gabe Holt singles to left-center field, Sal Frelick to 2nd. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging.

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

Wood Ducks 7th (Mudcats 17, Wood Ducks 2) -- Yenci Pena singles to deep shortstop. Jose Acosta grounds out, Ashton McGee to Nate Peden, Yenci Pena to 2nd. Jayce Easley singles to deep second base, Yenci Pena to 3rd. Daniel Mateo strikes out swinging. Luisangel Acuna singles to shallow right field, Yenci Pena scores; Jayce Easley to 2nd. Keyber Rodriguez flies out to Sal Frelick.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 19, Wood Ducks 2) -- Pitcher Change: Destin Dotson replaces Nick Yoder. Felix Valerio walks. Ashton McGee struck out looking. Wes Clarke doubles to left-center field, Felix Valerio to 3rd. Micah Bello hits a ground rule double to right-center field, Felix Valerio scores; Wes Clarke scores. Alex Hall singles to right-center field. Noah Campbell struck out looking. Sal Frelick grounds out, Luisangel Acuna to Yenci Pena.

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

Wood Ducks 8th (Mudcats 19, Wood Ducks 10) -- Pitcher Change: Brock Begue replaces Nate Peden. Thomas Saggese doubles through the hole at shortstop. Wild pitch by Brock Begue, Thomas Saggese to 3rd. Angel Aponte singles through the hole at second base, Thomas Saggese scores. Brady Smith strikes out swinging. Yenci Pena reaches on fielding error by Brock Begue, Angel Aponte to 2nd. Jose Acosta walks, Angel Aponte to 3rd; Yenci Pena to 2nd. Jayce Easley walks, Angel Aponte scores; Yenci Pena to 3rd; Jose Acosta to 2nd. Daniel Mateo grounds into a force out, Felix Valerio to Freddy Zamora, Yenci Pena scores; Jose Acosta scores; Jayce Easley out at 2nd. Luisangel Acuna reaches on fielding error by Felix Valerio, Daniel Mateo to 2nd. Keyber Rodriguez singles to shallow center field, Daniel Mateo to 3rd; Luisangel Acuna to 2nd. Thomas Saggese hits a grand slam to center field on a 0-0 pitch, Daniel Mateo scores; Luisangel Acuna scores; Keyber Rodriguez scores. Angel Aponte strikes out swinging.

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