Diaz Fans Career High Eight in 4-2 Loss to Wood Ducks

The Wood Ducks (26-19) led the whole way during their series tying victory versus the Mudcats (22-23). They first took the lead on a solo home run from Melvin Novoa in the second and went on to add to it later in the game with one run in the sixth and two more in the ninth. Novoa's home run was his first with the Wood Ducks this season and came off Carolina starter Nathan Kirby.

Kirby (0-3, 6.20) allowed Novoa's home run, but did not allow any other runs while pitching into the third. He reached 45 pitches (23 strikes) and reached his limit before leaving with two outs in the third and with Carolina down 1-0. Kirby finished his outing with two walks, two strikeouts and three hits allowed while taking the loss.

Arredondo (5-1, 2.32), meanwhile, earned the victory for the Wood Ducks after holding Carolina scoreless over five and 1/3 innings. He also walked two, struck out seven and scattered four hits while earning his fourth straight win.

Arredondo worked into the sixth, but left after walking one and giving up a one-out single to Aguilar. Reliever Cole Wiper followed and went on to get the Wood Ducks out of the frame by inducing an inning ending double play from Weston Wilson.

Wiper (H, 3) held the 1-0 lead through the sixth and his offense rewarded him with a run on a first and third, double steal in the seventh while taking a 2-0 lead. The double steal, with Leody Taveras scoring from third, was the only run allowed by Diaz in his outing out of the bullpen.

Diaz ended up working through the eighth after originally taking over Kirby in the third. He totaled a season and career best eight strikeouts, walked two and allowed just the one Down East run on six hits over five and 1/3 innings pitched. He ended up without a decision and totaled 84 pitches (59 strikes) while matching his longest out of the season.

The Wood Ducks led 2-0 after the seventh, but Carolina managed to halve the lead after getting a run in the eighth when Aguilar brought in Keston Hiura from third with a two-out flare double to left off reliever C.D. Pelham. The RBI hit was Aguilar's second hit of the game and brought the Mudcats within one as they cut the lead to 2-1.

Down East answered back with a two run ninth against newly added Carolina reliever Braulio Ortiz and led 4-1 before Carolina scored an unearned run with help of two errors in the ninth.  

Ortiz gave up two runs on two hits and walked one in the ninth while allowing the Wood Ducks to take their 4-1 lead. He also struck out two, bringing Carolina's strikeout total to 12 in the loss.

Pelham (S, 7) went on to allow an unearned run in the ninth, but ended up earning a six out save with one walk and four strikeouts. His unearned run came across when Dallas Carroll reached on a two-base error in right with two-outs in the ninth. Carroll then later scored when Hiura reached on an error by shortstop Anderson Tejeda moments later.

The Mudcats ended up leaving a runner on in the ninth after Pelham struck out Tucker Neuhaus to end the game. Neuhaus went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the loss. Ronnie Gideon also went 0-for-4 and struck out four times. 

Overall, Carolina struck out 12 times, grounded into two inning ending double plays and went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position while leaving 10 men on base in the loss. Down East tied the four game set at 1-1 after earning the win despite going 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranding 12.

The series will continue on Wednesday morning at Five County Stadium beginning at 11:00 a.m. RHP Braden Webb (2-3, 6.08) will start for the Mudcats in game three of the series on Wednesday in Zebulon. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com. The game will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.

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