Carolina Splits Saturday Doubleheader

Salem Red Sox 2 @ Carolina Mudcats 6 (Game 1)
April 15, 2023 | Venue: Five County Stadium | First pitch: 6:37 PM | T: 2:17 | Att: 3,268

SAL: 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 4 2
CAR: 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 6 0

WP: Chase Costello (1 - 0) LP: Luis Perales (0 - 2)

Salem Red Sox 5 @ Carolina Mudcats 2 (Game 2)
April 15, 2023 | Venue: Five County Stadium | First pitch: 6:37 PM | T: 2:17 | Att: 3,268

SAL: 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 5 5 0
CAR: 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 1

WP: Caleb Bolden (1 - 0) LP: Quinton Low (0 - 1)

ZEBULON, N.C. – The Carolina Mudcats snapped a four-game losing streak by taking game one of a doubleheader with the Salem Red Sox 6-2 on Saturday afternoon at Five County Stadium. Carolina, however, was later nearly no-hit in game two while falling 5-2 and finishing with a doubleheader split with the Red Sox.

Carolina’s Tayden Hall went 1-for-2 with a game-tying two-run double in game one. Jadher Areinamo, Jheremy Vargas and Daniel Guilarte also had run scoring hits across both games of Saturday’s twin-bill. Meanwhile Luke Adamas totaled five walks overall with three in game one and two more in game two.

The Mudcats (2-4) trailed early in the first game as the Red Sox (4-3) rallied for two early runs on starter Yujanyer Herrera. That early lead, however, evaporated in the third when Hall connected on a two-run double to tie the game at 2-2. The Mudcats broke the tie moments later when newly inserted reliever Luis Talavera balked in Luke Adams from third. Adams walked three times in game one, and twice more in game two. Carolina led 3-2 after the third, but added two more runs in the fourth on a RBI single from Areinamo and a bases loaded walk from Hall.

Talavera issued the Hall walk and finished with three walks, three runs, two hits and two strikeouts over an inning and a 1/3 for the Red Sox. Luis Perales (0-2) started and took the game loss while working into the third with three runs, four hits, four walks and three strikeouts.

Herrera started for the Mudcats and fell an out shy of earning a victory as he pitched through four and 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and two runs allowed on three hits. Herrera walked two and allowed two runs with both walks and both runs coming in the first. He was replaced by Chase Costello in the fifth after reaching 72 pitches (45 strikes). Costello (1-0) pitched the final two and 1/3 innings and earned the victory after holding the Red Sox scoreless the rest of the way.

The Red Sox then bounced back in the second game with a 5-2 victory that saw them nearly no-hit the Mudcats for the second time in the series. Carolina was held without a hit by starter Noah Dean and reliever Caleb Bolden through the sixth, but eventually broke through with three hits and two runs off reliever Marques Johnson in the seventh.

Dean worked through the first three and 2/3 with six walks and four strikeouts. Bolen (1-0) pitched the next two and 1/3 and struck out five against just one walk. Johnson recorded one out in the seventh before Eduarqui Fernandez singled to center for the Mudcats to break up the no-hit bid.

The Fernandez single with one out in the seventh was both Carolina’s first hit of the game and his first hit of the season. Carolina finished with three runs and three hits in the seventh, but the late rally was not enough as the Red Sox held on for a 5-2 victory.

Vargas and Guilarte both had RBI singles in the seventh for the Mudcats. They were also both left on at third and second when Hall struck out while pinch hitting for Jesus Parra.

Ronald Rosario drove in a couple of runs in game two for Salem after forcing in the game’s first run in the first with a bases loaded walk before adding a RBI double in the seventh. He also singled and scored in the sixth. The sixth also included an Ahbrem Liendo RBI single.

Quinton Low started for the Carolina and allowed a run on three walks in the first before settling in and working through two and 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and three walks. Nick Merkel took over for Low in the third and retire two straight to end the inning. Nate Peterson went on to finish the game with four innings pitched with four runs (three earned) on four hits. He also walked three and struck out five.

Salem will take a 4-1 series lead into Sunday’s series finale at Five County Stadium. Sunday’s game will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will include Carolina’s WakeMed Five County Family Sunday promotion featuring $7.00 box seat tickets and post-game catch on the field.