Streaking ‘Cats Win Seventh Straight

Carolina 11 @ Fredericksburg 2

August 24, 2021 | Venue : FredNats Ballpark | First pitch : 7:08 PM | Att : 3,890 | T : 3:11

CAR: 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 7 0 11 8 0

FBG: 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 6 2

WP: Zach Mort (2 - 0) LP: Michael Cuevas (1 - 6)

LISTEN: Post-Game Interview with Manager Joe Ayrault

FREDERICKSBURG – Sal Frelick scored twice, drove in a run and robbed a home run in the seventh, Ethan Murray had two hits and drove in three runs and Micah Bello hit his first home run of the season as Carolina won its seventh straight game 11-2 on Tuesday night at FredNats Ballpark.

The Mudcats (60-37) originally trailed 1-0 after Jordy Barley started things early for the Nationals (33-64) with a leadoff home run in the first. That home run came off starter Zach Mort, but wound up being the only one allowed by Mort (2-0, 1.42) as he won his second straight start since his transfer to Carolina from High-A. Mort went through five and 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts, three walks and just one run allowed on three hits in the victory.

Michael Cuevas started for the FredNats and retired nine straight to start the game before giving up a single to Frelick in the fourth. That single not only snapped the nine straight outs to start the game for Cuevas (1-6, 3.50), but it also sparked a two-run rally for Carolina.

Frelick’s single in the fourth came right before he scored on a bases loaded walk from Alex Binelas to tie the game. A run-scoring groundout in the same inning from Wes Clarke then scored Murray to give the Mudcats their first lead at 2-1. Murray came through again in the fifth with a run-scoring hit to bring across the newly added Zack Raabe and to lift the lead to 4-1. Bello made it 5-1 with his first home run of the season and a seven run eighth put the game away as the Mudcats up went 11-1. The seven run eighth included run scoring hits from Martinez, Frelick and Murray. It also included two fielding errors, with both allowing runs to score.

Relievers Miguel Guerrero and Kent Hasler followed Mort and combined to hold the FredNats to just one run over the next two and 1/3 innings. Guerrero recorded the final out of the sixth in place of Mort, and then received some help from his defense during a scoreless seventh. That inning began with Frelick's leaping catch at the wall in right-center to bring back Jake Randa's potential home run and keep Guerrero and the Mudcats up 4-1.

Sal Frelick DID THAT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dylhxbx3Pq

— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) August 25, 2021

In all, Guerrero pitched through an inning and 1/3 with two walks. Hasler, meanwhile, struck out three and allowed just one run on three hits in his appearance.

Frelick, Murray and Ernesto Martinez each had two hits in the game. Frelick and Martinez also extended their hitting streaks to 10 straight, while Murray ran his to seven straight.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina HR : Bello (1, 7th inning off Yankosky, 0 on, 0 out).

Fredericksburg HR : Barley (2, 1st inning off Mort, 0 on, 0 out)

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Bello, RF (Carolina): 1-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

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

Martinez, E, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

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

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

Barley, SS (Fredericksburg): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

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

Boissiere, 1B (Fredericksburg): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Mort (W, 2-0) (Carolina): 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO

Guerrero (H, 3) (Carolina): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO

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

Cuevas (L, 1-6) (Fredericksburg): 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO

Yankosky (Fredericksburg): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Alastre (Fredericksburg): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

SCORING:

Nationals 1st (Nationals 1, Mudcats 0) -- Jordy Barley hits a home run to left field on a 2-0 pitch. Jacob Young singles to deep shortstop. Branden Boissiere strikes out swinging. Jacob Young steals 2nd base. Onix Vega flies out to Micah Bello, Jacob Young to 3rd. Jose Sanchez strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 2, Nationals 1) -- Sal Frelick singles up the middle. Ethan Murray hit by pitch, Sal Frelick to 2nd. Tyler Black walks, Sal Frelick to 3rd; Ethan Murray to 2nd. Alex Binelas walks, Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray to 3rd; Tyler Black to 2nd. Wes Clarke grounds out, Jose Sanchez to Branden Boissiere, Ethan Murray scores; Tyler Black to 3rd; Alex Binelas to 2nd. Ernesto Martinez reaches on a fielder's choice out, Jose Sanchez to Onix Vega, Tyler Black out at home, Alex Binelas to 3rd. Micah Bello strikes out swinging.

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

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 3, Nationals 1) -- Zack Raabe singles to center field. Noah Campbell grounds out, Jose Sanchez to Branden Boissiere, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Sal Frelick strikes out swinging. Ethan Murray singles up the middle, Zack Raabe scores. Tyler Black flies out to Jacob Young.

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

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 4, Nationals 1) -- Defensive Substitution: Jake Boone replaces shortstop Jordy Barley, batting 1st, playing shortstop. Micah Bello hits a home run to right-center field on a 2-0 pitch. Zack Raabe grounds out, Jake Boone to Branden Boissiere. Noah Campbell grounds out to Branden Boissiere. Sal Frelick walks. Ethan Murray pops out to Onix Vega in foul territory.

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

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 11, Nationals 1) -- Pitcher Change: Leif Strom replaces Tyler Yankosky. Tyler Black walks. Alex Binelas hit by pitch, Tyler Black to 2nd. Wes Clarke flies out to Jacob Young. Ernesto Martinez doubles to right field, Tyler Black scores; Alex Binelas to 3rd. Wild pitch by Leif Strom, Alex Binelas scores; Ernesto Martinez to 3rd. Micah Bello strikes out swinging. Zack Raabe hit by pitch. Noah Campbell reaches on fielding error by Viandel Pena, Ernesto Martinez scores; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Sal Frelick singles to left field, Zack Raabe scores; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Ethan Murray doubles through the hole at second base, Noah Campbell scores; Sal Frelick to 3rd. Tyler Black reaches on fielding error by Viandel Pena, Sal Frelick scores; Ethan Murray scores. Alex Binelas flies out to Jeremy De La Rosa.

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

Nationals 8th (Mudcats 11, Nationals 2) -- Pitcher Change: Kent Hasler replaces Miguel Guerrero. Jake Boone strikes out swinging. Jacob Young doubles to right field. Branden Boissiere doubles to left field, Jacob Young scores. Onix Vega struck out looking. Jose Sanchez strikes out swinging.

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