Mudcats Set Team Record For Runs in 23-7 Victory

LISTEN: Manager Joe Ayrault's Post-Game Interview

ZEBULON – Joe Gray Jr. hit a grand slam in the second, Gabe Holt matched a franchise record with five runs, Daniel Castillo hit his first career home run and Joey Wiemer homered while collecting four hits as the Mudcats set a franchise record for most runs in a game in a 23-7 drubbing of Kannapolis on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (11-8) originally trailed in the game as Kannapolis (2-17) scored once in the first to take a 1-0 lead. That quickly changed, however, in the last of the first after the Mudcats rallied for three straight two-out hits while scoring two, two-out runs in the opening frame. Gray started that rally with a single and scored moments later on a double from Ernesto Martinez. Joey Wiemer then brought in Martinez with a double of his own.

Carolina led 2-1 after the opening frame, but went on get a grand slam from Gray and a solo home run from Wiemer while scoring six runs in the second inning. Gray’s home run was his team leading fifth of the season.

The Mudcats later went up 10-1 in the fourth and 11-1 in the fifth before Kannapolis eventually came back with two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh on a three-run home run from James Beard. Carolina later answered with four more runs in the seventh and eight in the eighth while reaching their new franchise record of 23 runs in a single game. Carolina’s eight run eighth included home runs from Alex Hall and Felix Valerio. It also included an RBI single from Gray.

With a career high six RBI on the night, Gray fell one RBI shy of matching Carolina’s franchise record for RBI in a single game (7 – Jai Miller, 7/24/07; Jose Reyes, 5/26/98). In all, Gray went 3-for-6 with four runs, a grand slam and six RBI.

Holt finished the game with five runs and matched a franchise record for runs in a game. Holt also went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three walks out of the lead off spot.

Daniel Castillo, who took over for Martinez in the cleanup spot, hit his first career home run while going 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBI. Martinez went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double before leaving the game.

Carolina totaled five homers in the game; falling one shy of matching a franchise record for homers in a game. The Mudcats also finished just four hits shy of matching the team record of 24 hits in a game with 20 on Tuesday night. Carolina’s 23 runs in the game broke the previous record of 21 runs in a game on August 31, 2008 vs. Tennessee.

Carolina starter Brendan Murphy picked up the win after pitched into the sixth and officially going five plus innings with two runs allowed on four hits. Murphy (1-0, 3.00) also walked one and struck out four.

Cannon Ballers starter Matthew Thompson allowed seven runs on four hits and took the loss. Thompson (0-2, 6.75) also walked three.

The lop-sided victory came in the series opener and in the first ever meeting between the two teams. The series will continue on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium with RHP Joey Matulovich (1-0, 2.53) starting for the Mudcats.

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HOME RUNS:
Kannapolis: Beard (2, 7th inning off Hasler, 2 on, 0 out); Rodriguez, J (2, 9th inning off Robinson, 0 on, 2 out).

Carolina: Gray Jr. (5, 2nd inning off Thompson, M, 3 on, 1 out); Wiemer (2, 2nd inning off Madrigal, 0 on, 2 out); Castillo (1, 7th inning off Fernandez, 2 on, 1 out); Hall, A (2, 8th inning off Bossard, 1 on, 2 out); Valerio, F (1, 8th inning off Bossard, 1 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Ramos, DH (Kannapolis): 3-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Delgado, 2B (Kannapolis): 2-for-5, 1 R
Rodriguez, J, SS (Kannapolis): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Gray Jr., CF (Carolina): 3-for-6, 4 R, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 5 R, 2 2B
Campbell, DH (Carolina): 2-for-5, 3 R, 1 RBI
Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Castillo, PH-SS (Carolina): 3-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Wiemer, RF (Carolina): 4-for-6, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Murphy (W, 1-0) (Carolina): 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Hasler (Carolina): 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Robinson (Carolina): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Madrigal (Kannapolis): 3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

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SCORING SUMMARY:
Cannon Ballers 1st (Cannon Ballers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Caberea Weaver strikes out swinging. Lency Delgado strikes out swinging, Alex Hall to Ernesto Martinez. Jose Rodriguez doubles to left-center field. Bryan Ramos doubles to left field, Jose Rodriguez scores. DJ Gladney flies out to Andre Nnebe.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Gabe Holt grounds out, AJ Gill to Matthew Thompson. Noah Campbell grounds out, Lency Delgado to AJ Gill. Joe Gray Jr. singles to right field. Ernesto Martinez doubles to right-center field, Joe Gray Jr. scores. Joey Wiemer doubles to left field, Ernesto Martinez scores. Ashton McGee strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Alex Hall pops out to Lency Delgado. Andre Nnebe walks. Andre Nnebe steals 2nd base. Felix Valerio walks. Gabe Holt walks, Andre Nnebe to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Noah Campbell hit by pitch, Andre Nnebe scores; Felix Valerio to 3rd; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. hits a grand slam to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch, Felix Valerio scores; Gabe Holt scores; Noah Campbell scores. Pitcher Change: Ty Madrigal replaces Matthew Thompson. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging. Joey Wiemer hits a home run to left-center field on a 1-2 pitch. Ashton McGee struck out looking.
(6 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 10, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Gabe Holt doubles to left field. Noah Campbell hit by pitch. Joe Gray Jr. struck out looking. Ernesto Martinez singles to left-center field, Gabe Holt scores; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Joey Wiemer singles to shallow center field, Noah Campbell to 3rd; Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Ashton McGee singles to shallow right field, Noah Campbell scores; Ernesto Martinez to 3rd; Joey Wiemer to 2nd. Alex Hall strikes out swinging. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 11, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Felix Valerio hit by pitch. Gabe Holt grounds into a force out, Lency Delgado to Jose Rodriguez, Felix Valerio out at 2nd. Pitcher Change: Rigo Fernandez replaces Ty Madrigal. Noah Campbell singles to left-center field, Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. grounds into a force out, Jose Rodriguez to Lency Delgado, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Noah Campbell out at 2nd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Daniel Castillo replaces Ernesto Martinez. Daniel Castillo singles to right-center field, Gabe Holt scores; Joe Gray Jr. to 3rd. Joey Wiemer flies out to Benyamin Bailey.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 6th (Mudcats 11, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Daniel Castillo remains in the game as the shortstop. Defensive switch from 3rd to 1st for Ashton McGee. Defensive switch from shortstop to 3rd for Felix Valerio. Caberea Weaver singles to deep shortstop. Pitcher Change: Jackson Gillis replaces Brendan Murphy. Lency Delgado singles to left-center field, Caberea Weaver to 2nd. Wild pitch by Jackson Gillis, Caberea Weaver to 3rd; Lency Delgado to 2nd. Jose Rodriguez pops out to Ashton McGee in foul territory. Wild pitch by Jackson Gillis, Caberea Weaver scores; Lency Delgado scores; throwing error by Alex Hall. Bryan Ramos singles to deep shortstop. DJ Gladney strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by Jackson Gillis, Bryan Ramos to 2nd. Benyamin Bailey struck out looking.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 7th (Mudcats 11, Cannon Ballers 6) -- AJ Gill walks. Wild pitch by Jackson Gillis, AJ Gill to 2nd. Ivan Gonzalez walks. Pitcher Change: Kent Hasler replaces Jackson Gillis. James Beard hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-1 pitch, AJ Gill scores; Ivan Gonzalez scores. Caberea Weaver strikes out swinging, Alex Hall to Ashton McGee. Lency Delgado singles up the middle. Jose Rodriguez flies out to Joe Gray Jr. Bryan Ramos struck out looking.
(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 15, Cannon Ballers 6) -- Felix Valerio pops out to AJ Gill. Gabe Holt walks. Noah Campbell singles to right-center field, Gabe Holt to 3rd; Noah Campbell advances to 2nd on throwing error by Caberea Weaver. Joe Gray Jr. reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Jose Rodriguez, Gabe Holt scores; Noah Campbell to 3rd. Joe Gray Jr. steals 2nd base. Daniel Castillo hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch, Noah Campbell scores; Joe Gray Jr. scores. Joey Wiemer flies out to James Beard. Ashton McGee walks. Pitcher Change: McKinley Moore replaces Rigo Fernandez. Alex Hall walks, Ashton McGee to 2nd. Andre Nnebe strikes out swinging.
(4 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 23, Cannon Ballers 6) -- Felix Valerio pops out to Jose Rodriguez. Gabe Holt doubles through the hole at shortstop. Noah Campbell pops out to DJ Gladney. Joe Gray Jr. singles to right-center field, Gabe Holt scores. Daniel Castillo singles to right field, Joe Gray Jr. to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Brandon Bossard replaces McKinley Moore. Joey Wiemer singles to deep shortstop, Joe Gray Jr. scores; Joey Wiemer to 2nd; throwing error by Jose Rodriguez. Ashton McGee reaches on fielding error by James Beard, Daniel Castillo scores; Joey Wiemer scores; Ashton McGee to 2nd. Alex Hall hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch, Ashton McGee scores. Andre Nnebe doubles to right field. Felix Valerio hits a home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch, Andre Nnebe scores. Gabe Holt walks. Noah Campbell lines out to Caberea Weaver.
(8 Runs, 7 Hits, 2 Errors, 1 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 9th (Mudcats 23, Cannon Ballers 7) -- Pitcher Change: Cam Robinson replaces Kent Hasler. Caberea Weaver grounds out, Ashton McGee to Cam Robinson. Lency Delgado lines out to Gabe Holt. Jose Rodriguez hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Bryan Ramos walks.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)