Cats Open Second Half with 7-1 Loss in Buies Creek

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Buies Creek pitchers Cristian Javier and Hector Perez combined to hold the Mudcats to just one run on three hits while pitching the Astros to a 7-1 win in Thursday's second half opener at Jim Perry Stadium. Abraham Toro paced the Astros offense by going 2-for-3 with two runs, a double and home run.

Javier (2-0, 0.82) started and earned the win after allowing just one Carolina (0-1) run on three hits over five innings pitched. He also walked one and struck out one before giving way to Perez (S, 2) in the sixth. Perez struck out three, walked two and went on to hold the Mudcats without a hit while working through four scoreless innings. 
The Buies Creek (1-0) offense gave Javier and Perez plenty of run support early in the game as they scored twice in both the first and second innings and led 4-1 before Toro hit a solo home run in the third. 
It was also Toro who got the Astros going early as well against Carolina's starter Devin Williams as he doubled and scored in the opening frame. Toro, and fellow All-Star Ronnie Dawson, both scored on a two-run, two-out single in the first to give the Astros an early 2-0 lead.
Trailing 2-0, the Mudcats came back with a run to halve the lead on a RBI triple from Mario Feliciano. The RBI triple scored newly promoted outfielder Demi Orimoloye and was the only run scored by Carolina in the game. Feliciano ended up going just 1-for-1 as he left during the second with a leg injury after he was slid into on a close play at the home.
Williams (0-2, 5.40) remained in the game for the second as well and ended up giving up two unearned runs while seeing the Astros go up 4-1 in the game. Williams scattered two hits, walked one and struck out four while pitching through two full innings (46 pitches, 24 strikes).
Alec Bettinger followed Williams beginning in the third and would allow just one run over five innings pitched. Toro's home run to start the third ended up being the only run scoring hit allowed by Bettinger. In all, Bettinger struck out two, walked two and allowed a run on four hits in his appearance.
Phil Bickford later worked the eighth where he allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit and three walks. The Astros ended up with two runs in the eighth off Bickford while taking their 7-1 lead in the game.
Carolina went just 1-for-4 in the game with runners in scoring position and ended up leaving three men on base. The Astros went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left four men on.
The series will continue in Buies Creek on Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek
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