Mudcats walked-off 5-4 in Buies Creek

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Anthony Hermelyn doubled and Randy César followed with a walk-off single in the ninth as the Astros defeated the Mudcats 5-4 on Thursday night at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek. Carolina's Weston Wilson went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the loss.

The loss dropped the Mudcats (55-54, 19-22) to 8.5 games back of first in the second half standings behind the first place Astros (64-46, 27-13). It was also Carolina's third straight loss and came in the first game of a four game series against the Astros.
Carolina fell behind early in Thursday's opener, but managed to come back with four runs between the fifth and sixth innings while taking a 4-3 lead. The Astros, however, later tied the game in the eighth and then won it in the ninth while handing reliever Eric Hanhold his second blown save of the season and his first loss as a reliever this year.
Carolina began its comeback bid in the fifth when Trent Clark started the frame with a double, stole third and then scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 3-1. Clark went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs, two walks and stolen base in the game.
Carolina kept the momentum going into the sixth while rallying for three runs and taking a 4-3 lead against reliever Erasmo Pinales and the Astros. Isan Díaz started the rally with a lead off walk and Wilson then followed with a two-run home run to left. Clark later reached on a two-out walk and moved to third on a single from Monte Harrison before scoring on a go-ahead, two-out RBI single by Corey Ray.
Wilson finished the game 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two RBIs in what was his first game back with the Mudcats after most recently playing for Low-A Wisconsin.
The three run sixth gave the Mudcats their first lead of the game, but the Astros quickly answered back with a run in the eighth to tie the game. Stephen Wrenn walked with the bases loaded to tie the game at 4-4 and Cesar's walk-off in the ninth won it for the Astros.
Despite originally pitching a scoreless seventh, Hanhold (6-3, 4.78) went on to suffer the loss after allowing both the tying run in the eighth and the game winner in the ninth. In all, Hanhold allowed three hits, two runs and three walks over two and 1/3 innings.
Hanhold was one of only three pitchers to appear in the game for the Mudcats. Starter Marcos Diplan worked into the fourth and allowed three runs on three hits over three and 2/3 innings pitched. Diplan also walked six and struck out four before reaching 85 pitches and leaving the game. 
Diplan saw an unearned run come across with help of two errors by Luis Aviles Jr. in the third and then gave up two runs in the in the fourth while falling behind 3-0 in the game. He gave up a run scoring hit to Myles Straw in the fourth and later left the game with the bases loaded in the same frame.
Brad Kuntz followed Diplan and quickly escaped the bases loaded jam by inducing a lineout to third by Hermelyn. Kuntz remained in the game through the sixth and held the Astros scoreless over two and 1/3 no-hit innings. He also walked one and struck out four.
Elieser Hernandez started for the Astros and pitched through three and 2/3 scoreless innings. He also walked two, struck out four and gave up four hits. Sebastian Kessay later pitched through the end of the fourth and stayed out for the fifth while giving up one run on one hit. 
Pinales (BS, 1) pitched part of the sixth and suffered a blown save while allowing the Mudcats to tie the game. Pinales gave up three runs on two hits, while also walking two and striking out one.
Justin Ferrel followed Pinales in the sixth and eventually got the Astros out of the inning without any more damage. Ferrel then remained in the game through most of the ninth and finished his appearance with four hits allowed, two walks and three strikeouts. Carlos Sierra (2-1, 3.12) picked up the final out of the ninth and earned the victory.
The two teams combined to walk 17 batters and combined to strand 25 men on base. The Mudcats offense walked seven times and left 13 men on base while going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Astros walked 10 times and left 12 on while going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats and Astros will continue the series on Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium at Buies Creek. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
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