ZEBULON, N.C. - Trey Supak allowed a three-run home run in the fourth and a solo home run in the fifth as the Mudcats dropped game one of Saturday's de facto doubleheader 5-2 to the visiting Nationals at Five County Stadium.
ZEBULON, N.C. - Trey Supak allowed a three-run home run in the fourth and a solo home run in the fifth as the Mudcats dropped game one of Saturday's de facto doubleheader 5-2 to the visiting Nationals at Five County Stadium.
The game originally began on Friday night, but was suspended after just four minutes of play due to heavy rain. It was scheduled to resume at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, but was eventually pushed back an hour later because of a rain delay. The game eventually finished at just two hours and 31 minutes, but included a two hour and 6 minute delay.
Supak (1-2, 6.20) took the loss for Carolina (34-32) after allowing four runs on four hits over six and 1/3 innings pitched. He also allowed two home runs, walked three and struck out six in the loss.
Supak's appearance officially came in relief as he took over for starter Cody Ponce with two outs in the first inning. Ponce did not return to the game and, in all, finished with just two outs recorded.
Nolan Sanburn started for the Nationals (33-35) and allowed two runs in the second after giving up run scoring hits to Luis Aviles Jr. and Carlos Belonis. He eventually went on to hold Carolina to just the two runs over seven innings pitched while earning the win. Sanburn (2-1, 3.81) scattered five hits, walked two and struck out nine while leading the Nationals to the victory. Aviles was 3-for-4 with a run and a RBI and Belonis was 2-for-4 with a RBI for Carolina.
Tyler Skulina was the original starter in the game, but never actually threw a pitch after the game was suspended the top of the first on Friday night. Sanburn then became the de facto starter, but earned the victory out of the bullpen. Dakota Bacus (S, 2) followed Sanburn and worked through the final two frames with one hit, one walk and one strikeout while earning his second save.
The Nationals trailed 2-0 in the game before Ian Sagdal brought them back with a go-ahead three-run home run off Supak in the fourth. Matt Page then hit a solo home run off Supak in the fifth and the Nationals led 4-2 after five. They later added one more in the eighth when Sagdal drove in one more with a RBI double off reliever Brad Kuntz.
Sagdal was 2-for-4 in the game with four RBIs. Page was 1-for-3 with a home run and leadoff man Victor Robles was 2-for-3 with two runs.
Kuntz worked the final two innings for the Mudcats and allowed one run on two hits. He also struck out two and did not walk a batter.
