Whalen goes seven strong in 4-1 road win
WILMINGTON, DE - Rob Whalen struck out six over seven innings pitched, Connor Lien broke a 1-1 tie with a RBI single in the seventh and Richie Tate pitched two scoreless while earning his fourth save as the Mudcats won their fourth straight with a 4-1 victory against the Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington on Friday night.
Whalen (W, 1-1, 2.13) pitched through the seventh allowed just one run while earning his first victory since being acquired by the Atlanta Braves from the New York Mets in a trade on July 24. His only run allowed came in the second when Ryan O'Hearn of the Blue Rocks (52-53, 14-21) hit a solo home run to right. Whalen finished with a run, three hits and just one walk allowed in the victory.
Carolina (53-52, 19-17) pounded out 12 hits in the victory including two from Lien, Keith Curcio, Jacob Schrader and Reed Harper. They spread out those 12 hits evenly against Wilmington starter Ashton Goudeau and reliever Estarlin Cordero. Goudeau worked into the sixth and left with a run allowed on six hits. Cordero (L, 3-1, 2.59 ERA) also allowed six hits, but also gave up three runs over the final three and 2/3 innings and took the loss.
O'Hearn's home run in the second put the Blue Rocks up 1-0 in the game, but the Mudcats answered back with the tying run in the fourth. Dustin Peterson started the one run rally with a two-out single and then moved from first to third on a single by Schrader. A single to right by Carlos Franco scored Peterson and tied the game up at 1-1.
Carolina later broke the tie in the seventh after collecting four straight one out hits in the inning against Cordero. Johan Camargo started the rally with a single through short and Harper kept it going with an infield hit to the left side. Lien then singled in Camargo with a hit to right and Curcio capped the rally with a RBI single to right. The Mudcats left the bases loaded in the seventh, but finished with two runs and four hits in the inning.
Carolina added one more in the ninth after Peterson drove in Lien with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Lien singled with one out to start the rally and moved to third on a double to right from Curcio before scoring to put the Mudcats up 4-1.
Tate (S, 4) finished the game after entering in the eighth in place of Whalen. He allowed a hit, but escaped a jam in the inning with a double play grounded into by Carlos Garcia. Tate then worked a scoreless ninth and finished with two walks and two strikeouts over two innings pitched.
The win was Carolina's fourth straight against a Carolina League Northern Division opponent. It was also their fourth straight when collecting the go-ahead run after the fifth inning. The series continues on Saturday night with the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. in Wilmington. RHP Brandon Barker will get the game two start for the Mudcats against RHP Jakob Junis and the Blue Rocks.
All games air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM, Rock City 99.3 FM and Sports 1490 AM. Games are also streamed online at www.carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio and the TuneIn Radio app. TuneIn Radio is the official digital audio partner of MiLB.com.
Individual tickets are now available online at www.carolinamudcats.com, by calling (919) 269-2287 and by visiting the Five County Stadium box office.
Premium Field Level seats are $12.00, Box Seats are $10.00 and Cattail Skybox Seats are $15.00. Flex plans, group tickets and the "Muddy Unreal Deal" plan are also currently available for purchase.
The Carolina Mudcats are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The 2015 "Braves New World" season is the first for the Mudcats as an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and their fourth straight in the historic Carolina League. First established in 1991, the Carolina Mudcats are entering their 25th straight season of baseball at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. Fans can purchase tickets or find more information by calling (919) 269-2287 or by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com.
# # #