Mudcats waste early lead in 9-7 series finale loss

ZEBULON, N.C. - Corey Ray hit a three-run home run in the first and Monte Harrison had a three-run home run in the second, but the Mudcats lost an early 6-0 lead while falling in game three of a three game series 9-7 to the Wood Ducks at Five County Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Wood Ducks (44-65, 20-20) rallied for eight runs over the final three innings while erasing what was originally a 6-0 deficit before the third and winning the series two games to one. The Mudcats (55-53, 19-21) originally scored three in the first on a three-run home run by Corey Ray and added three more in the second on a three-run home run hit by Monte Harrison while taking a 6-0 lead, but the visiting Wood Ducks came back with two in the seventh, five in the eighth and one in the ninth while winning the rubber game of the series 9-7.
Closer Nate Griep took the loss and suffered his third blown save of the season after allowing four runs on five hits over the final two innings of the game. Griep (BS, 3)(L, 3-1, 2.41) followed fellow reliever Wuilder Rodriguez who had taken over for starter Frank Lopez in the seventh inning. Rodriguez allowed two inherited runners across in the seventh and left with three on the eighth. He officially pitched through one inning and was charged with two runs allowed on two hits and four walks. 
Lopez did not earn a decision but worked through a quality start against his former team while striking out four and allowing three runs on seven hits over six plus innings pitched.
Down 6-1, the Wood Ducks began their comeback bid in the seventh with back-to-back hits from Preston Scott and Josh Altmann while knocking Lopez out of the game. Rodriguez then followed by walking Ledarious Clark to load the bases and then walking Matt Lipka to force in a run. Rodriguez then gave up a RBI single to Luis La O before eventually getting out of the inning. The two run seventh cut the Carolina lead down to 6-3, but the Mudcats answered later in the same frame with a run scoring double from Jake Gatewood and led 7-3 heading into the eighth.
Rodriguez came back out for the eighth, but left with the bases full after allowing a hit and walking two batters. Griep followed and went on to induce a double play, but one Down East run came across and scored to cut the Carolina lead to 7-4. Both La O and Lipka struck again with run scoring hits off Griep while cutting the Carolina lead to 7-6 and Garay later gave Down East its first lead of the game with a two-run home run to left.
Garay's home run gave the Wood Ducks an 8-7 lead and a two-out RBI double from Clark in the ninth extended the lead to 9-7. The home run was Garay's first of the season and his only hit of the game as went 1-for-5 with two RBIs. La O was 5-for-5 with a run and three RBIs, Altmann went 2-for-2 with three walks and Lipka was 2-for-5 with two runs and two batted in.
Jose Cuas later walked to start the ninth for the Mudcats and eventually move to third on a two-out double from Harrison, but Gatewood followed with a flyout to right-center on a 2-2 pitch from Scott Williams as the Wood Ducks held on for the 9-7 victory.
Williams (S, 4) allowed a hit, but pitched through a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts while earning the save. Tyler Ferguson (2-5, 6.49) allowed a run in the seventh, but earned the victory after pitching through two innings with one run, one hit and two walks allowed. 
Jeffrey Springs also appeared out of the Down East pen and pitched through two scoreless innings while striking out four. He followed reliever Grant Zawadski after Zawadski worked the second, third and fourth in place of starter Richelson Peña. Pena pitched through just one inning and allowed three runs on one hit.
Carolina's first hit of the game resulted in a 3-0 lead as Ray launched an opposite field home run off Pena in the first inning. The home run brought in Trent Clark and Harrison after they had reached on a walk and error respectively.
The Carolina lead quickly ballooned to 6-0 after Harrison came through with a three-run home run in the second off Zawadksi. For Harrison, the three-run blast was his third in two games, his eighth with the Mudcats and his 19th overall this season. Harrison also had a double in the ninth and was 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs in the loss.
The loss dropped the Mudcats to 7.5 games back in the second half race behind the first place Buies Creek Astros. It also dropped them to a full game back of the Wood Ducks in the second half standings.
Carolina was out hit 14-6 in the game and was 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Wood Ducks were just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position in the victory and stranded 10 men on base.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats next play the second half leading Buies Creek Astros on Thursday night at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek. Thursday's game will be the first of a short two game road trip before the Mudcats return home on Saturday against the Astros. Thursday'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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