Mudcats Open Final Home Stand with 3-2 Win

ZEBULON, N.C. - Christian Taugner stuck out seven over five solid innings and Demi Orimoloye went 2-for-4 with a run as the Mudcats defeated the Wood Ducks 3-2 in the series opener of a four game series at Five County Stadium on Monday night.

Taugner (2-1, 5.03) led Carolina (61-70, 27-34) to the series opening win after limiting the visiting Wood Ducks (58-75, 23-40) to just one unearned run on five hits over five innings pitched. Taugner also totaled seven strikeouts, including two to start the first and three straight to escape a jam in the fourth.
The Mudcats spotted him an early lead to work with after collecting two, two-out runs in the first off Down East starter Sal Mendez. Demi Orimoloye doubled and scored on a RBI single from Cooper Hummel in the first to give the Mudcats their 1-0 lead. The lead then climbed to 2-0 when Hummel scored on an infield single from Ryan Aguilar. Aguilar's hit was misplayed by first baseman Yanio Perez, thus allowing Hummel to score. The error was the first of three in the game for the Wood Ducks.
The Woodies eventually rallied for an unearned run in the third when Melvin Novoa reached on an error and scored on a Leody Taveras RBI single to center. The run cut the Carolina lead to 2-1, but Joantgel Segovia singled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to put Carolina up by two again at 3-1.
Mendez (2-3, 3.81) allowed the lone Carolina run in the fifth and took the loss after going through four and 1/3 with three runs (two earned) allowed on five hits. He also walked four and struck out two. He was followed by relievers Jacob Lemoine and Jairo Beras and left with Carolina leading 3-1.
Lemoine stranded two inherited runners in the fifth and worked through two and 2/3 scoreless frames overall for Down East. Lemoine also totaled six strikeouts and three walks in his appearance. Beras worked the eighth and struck out one while facing only three batters.
The Mudcats had a 3-1 lead through the sixth, the Wood Ducks rallied for a run against relievers Cody Beckman and Rodrigo Benoit while pulling within one at 3-2. 
Beckman originally entered the game in the sixth where he worked through a scoreless frame in place of Taugner. Down East's Eric Jenkins then led off the the seventh with a single before stealing second and moving to third on a groundout. Beckman then walked a batter before getting Anderson Tejeda to pop out in foul ground for the second out of the frame. Benoit was then summoned out of the pen and immediately allowed Jenkins to scored on a wild pitch (came on his first pitch thrown).
Benoit's wild pitch plated the final Down East run in Carolina's 3-2 home win as the Wood Ducks were later held scoreless in the eighth and ninth. Benoit stayed in for the eighth and ended up totaling four strikeouts over an inning and 1/3. 
Luke Barker came on for the ninth and went on to earn the save after retiring the side order. Barker (S, 19) struck out Clark to end the game while finishing off his league leading 19th save of the season.
NOTES: Cooper Hummel went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run and a RBI while maintaining his Carolina League leading on-base percentage at .387 for the season... Demi Orimoloye went 2-for-4 with a run and has hit safely in seven straight games... Carolina's offense struck out 7 times, bringing their season strikeout total to a Carolina League high 1,239. The Mudcats are just six (6) strikeouts away from matching the Carolina League record for most total strikeouts in a season (1,245). The record was set last season by the 2017 Carolina Mudcats.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats will continue their final home stand with game two of four versus the Wood Ducks at Five County Stadium. Tuesday's game will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is Carolina's final Taco Tuesday night of the season. 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. It will also stream live via video on MiLB.tv.
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