Mudcats Win Fifth Straight, 15-6 vs. Augusta

Augusta 6 @ Carolina 15

August 21, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 5:03 PM | Att : 4,064 | T : 3:44

AUG: 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 6 9 4

CAR: 2 6 1 0 2 2 0 2 x 15 10 3

WP: Miguel Guerrero (6 - 2) LP: Chad Bryant (0 - 5)

ZEBULON – Ashton McGee hit a three-run home run in the second, Noah Campbell went 3-for-4 with four runs and a home run, Sal Frelick went 3-for-4 with three runs and Ethan Murray went 2-for-4 with two runs as the Mudcats handily won their fifth straight game 15-6 versus the Augusta GreenJackets on Saturday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

Much like the first, second and third games of the series, the GreenJackets (40-55) once again scored in the first inning while jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Bryson Horne had a run-scoring single and Cade Bunnell forced in a run while hitting into a double play in the first. However, like the previous games, the Mudcats (58-37) immediately answered the early runs with two runs in the first, six in the second, one in the third, two in the fifth, two in the sixth and two more in the eighth while running away with a 15-6 victory.

The Carolina first included a run scoring force hit into by Alex Binelas and a sac fly from McGee. Meanwhile, the six run second featured a run-scoring double from Frelick, a sacrifice fly from Binelas and McGee’s three-run home run. That home came on the first pitch of McGee’s at bat against starter Chad Bryant (0-5, 6.61) and landed on the top of the centerfield wall before bouncing over for McGee’s ninth homer of the year.

With reliever Rolddy Munoz on the mound for the third, the Mudcats would go on to extend their lead to 9-2 after getting a run scoring hit from Frelick. The hit was Frelick’s second of three in the game. The three-hit game stretched his hitting streak to nine straight games. Ernesto Martinez also had a hit in Saturday’s lop-sided victory and, like Frelick, also stretched his current hitting streak to eight straight.

The GreenJackets managed to get back on the board in the fourth after collecting three hits and scoring once against reliever Juan Geraldo. That run was driven in on a RBI double from Vaughn Grissom. It was also the only run allowed by Geraldo in his outing after he entered the game in place of starter Christian Tripp. Tripp allowed two runs and two hits over three innings in his start.

Carolina eventually took an 11-3 lead in the fifth after Murray drove in two with a double off reliever Kenny Wells. The lead then grew to 12-3 in the sixth on a RBI single from Campbell and a wild pitch that allowed Martinez to score from third.

With Carolina continuing to add to its lead, reliever Miguel Guerrero worked the fifth and sixth and managed to hold the GreenJackets scoreless in what was his first game back from a stint on the injured list. Guerrero (6-2, 5.74) ended with the victory and finished his outing with four strikeouts while facing just six batters.

Reliever Nate Peden worked the seventh and eighth and was on the mound when the GreenJackets rallied for three runs and three hits to cut the Carolina lead to 13-6. Ricardo Rodriguez, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Conley each drove in runs for Augusta in the eighth. Rodriguez’s RBI single was also his third hit of the game as he went 3-for-4 with two runs in the loss.

The Carolina offense then wrapped up its big day at the plate with Campbell’s home run in the eighth. The home run put Carolina up 15-6 and was Campbell’s fifth of the season. It was also his first home run at home at Five County Stadium.

Carolina improved to 5-0 in the series with Saturday’s home victory. The Mudcats will next look to earn a series sweep with another victory on Sunday at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : McGee (9, 2nd inning off Bryant, 2 on, 2 out); Campbell (5, 8th inning off Williams, 0 on, 1 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

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

Frelick, CF (Carolina): 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Murray, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

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

Rodriguez, Ri, C (Augusta): 3-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Grissom, SS (Augusta): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Horne, 1B (Augusta): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Tripp (Carolina): 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO

Geraldo (Carolina): 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Guerrero (W, 6-2) (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

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

Munoz, R (Augusta): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO

Thompson, B (Augusta): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO

SCORING:

GreenJackets 1st (GreenJackets 2, Mudcats 0) -- Cal Conley walks. Vaughn Grissom reaches on fielding error by Ernesto Martinez, Cal Conley to 3rd. Vaughn Grissom steals 2nd base. Bryson Horne singles through the hole at second base, Cal Conley scores; Vaughn Grissom to 3rd. Cade Bunnell grounds into double play, Ernesto Martinez to Freddy Zamora to Christian Tripp, Vaughn Grissom scores; Bryson Horne out at 2nd, Cade Bunnell out at 1st. Landon Stephens walks. Landon Stephens steals 2nd base. Willie Carter walks. Justyn-Henry Malloy grounds out, Freddy Zamora to Ernesto Martinez.

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

Mudcats 1st (GreenJackets 2, Mudcats 2) -- Sal Frelick walks. Throwing error by Chad Bryant on the pickoff attempt. Ethan Murray walks. Wild pitch by Chad Bryant, Sal Frelick to 3rd; Ethan Murray to 2nd. Freddy Zamora walks. Alex Binelas grounds into a force out, Bryson Horne to Vaughn Grissom, Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray to 3rd; Freddy Zamora out at 2nd. Ashton McGee out on a sacrifice fly to Stephen Paolini, Ethan Murray scores. Ernesto Martinez strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 8, GreenJackets 2) -- Micah Bello pops out to Chad Bryant. Alex Hall walks. Noah Campbell reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Cal Conley. throwing error by Cal Conley. Sal Frelick doubles to center field, Alex Hall scores; Noah Campbell scores. Sal Frelick steals 3rd base. Ethan Murray walks. Freddy Zamora walks, Ethan Murray to 2nd. Alex Binelas out on a sacrifice fly to Landon Stephens, Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Ashton McGee hits a home run to center field on a 0-0 pitch, Ethan Murray scores; Freddy Zamora scores. Ernesto Martinez grounds out, Cal Conley to Bryson Horne.

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

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 9, GreenJackets 2) -- Pitcher Change: Rolddy Munoz replaces Chad Bryant. Micah Bello grounds out, Justyn-Henry Malloy to Bryson Horne. Alex Hall struck out looking. Noah Campbell singles to deep second base. Throwing error by Rolddy Munoz on the pickoff attempt. Sal Frelick singles through the hole at second base, Noah Campbell scores. Ethan Murray strikes out swinging.

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

GreenJackets 4th (Mudcats 9, GreenJackets 3) -- Pitcher Change: Juan Geraldo replaces Christian Tripp. Ricardo Rodriguez singles to right-center field. Stephen Paolini strikes out on foul tip. Cal Conley singles to right-center field, Ricardo Rodriguez to 2nd. Vaughn Grissom doubles to left field, Ricardo Rodriguez scores; Cal Conley out at home on the throw, Noah Campbell to Freddy Zamora to Alex Binelas. Bryson Horne strikes out on foul tip.

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

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 11, GreenJackets 3) -- Micah Bello walks. Wild pitch by Rolddy Munoz, Micah Bello to 2nd. Alex Hall grounds out, Bryson Horne to Rolddy Munoz, Micah Bello to 3rd. Noah Campbell walks. Pitcher Change: Kenny Wells replaces Rolddy Munoz. Sal Frelick walks, Noah Campbell to 2nd. Ethan Murray singles to left-center field, Micah Bello scores; Noah Campbell scores; Sal Frelick to 2nd. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging. Alex Binelas flies out to Landon Stephens.

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

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 13, GreenJackets 3) -- Ashton McGee walks. Ernesto Martinez singles through the hole at second base, Ashton McGee to 2nd. Micah Bello pops out to Bryson Horne in foul territory. Alex Hall struck out looking. Noah Campbell singles to right-center field, Ashton McGee scores; Ernesto Martinez to 2nd. Wild pitch by Kenny Wells, Ernesto Martinez scores; Noah Campbell to 2nd; throwing error by Ricardo Rodriguez. Sal Frelick pops out to Justyn-Henry Malloy in foul territory.

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

GreenJackets 8th (Mudcats 13, GreenJackets 6) -- Landon Stephens flies out to Sal Frelick. Willie Carter doubles to right field. Willie Carter advances to 3rd on a balk. Justyn-Henry Malloy walks. Ricardo Rodriguez singles to left-center field, Willie Carter scores; Justyn-Henry Malloy to 3rd; Ricardo Rodriguez advances to 2nd on throwing error by Sal Frelick. Stephen Paolini singles to center field, Justyn-Henry Malloy scores; Ricardo Rodriguez to 3rd. Cal Conley out on a sacrifice fly to Sal Frelick, Ricardo Rodriguez scores. Vaughn Grissom strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 15, GreenJackets 6) -- Pitcher Change: Peyton Williams replaces Ben Thompson. Alex Hall lines out to Stephen Paolini. Noah Campbell hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch. Sal Frelick doubles to right field. Ethan Murray singles to left-center field, Sal Frelick to 3rd. Freddy Zamora grounds into a force out, Justyn-Henry Malloy to Cal Conley, Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray out at 2nd. Alex Binelas grounds out to Bryson Horne.

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