Mudcats Fail to Hold Late Lead in 7-5 Loss

The Mudcats fell 2.0 games back of the first-place Down East Wood Ducks with the loss

Jadher Areinamo - Carolina Mudcats (Credit: Neal Hock)

June 9, 2023

FAY: 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 3 7 7 3
CAR: 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 6 1

WP: Manuel Urias (2 - 0) LP: Tanner Shears (1 - 1)

ZEBULON, N.C. - Luke Adams hit a solo home run in the ninth, Jadher Areinamo doubled and drove in two and starter Patricio Aquino pitched through four scoreless, but the Carolina Mudcats lost a three-run lead in the eighth while suffering their fourth straight loss 7-5 to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Friday night at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (30-23) led 4-1 lead through the seventh, but the Woodpeckers (23-32) went on to erase that late deficit with three eighth inning runs on a Narbe Cruz RBI double, a wild pitch and a failed double play respectively.

Reliever Chase Costello allowed the Cruz RBI double and two other hits in the eighth. Tanner Shears threw the wild pitch to score Fayetteville’s second run in the eighth and was on the mound when the third run scored on a force at second. Shears (L, 1-1)(BS, 2) later allowed three more runs in the ninth on a wild pitch, passed ball and a balk.

Manuel Urias earned the victory for Fayetteville after allowing just one run over the final two and 1/3 innings. Urias (W, 2-0) gave up a solo home run to Adams in the ninth, but allowed just two hits overall and struck out four in the victory.

Carolina’s early runs were all scored against starter Trey Dombrowski with two in the first on run-scoring hits from Kay-Lan Nicasia and Areinamo. Nicasia also scored on an error in the third and had two runs over all in the victory. Carolina’s fourth run came in the fifth on a RBI double from Areinamo.

The loss dropped the Mudcats to 2.0 games back of first-place Down East in the Carolina League North first half standings.
The series will continue on Saturday evening at Five County Stadium with a 5:00 p.m. first pitch for Souvenir Saturday.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina: HR: Adams (7, 9th inning off Urias, 0 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Balogh, 1B (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 2 R
Cruz, 3B (Fayetteville): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Cole , CF (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 2 R
Areinamo, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Adams, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Avina, CF (Carolina): 1-for-5, 2 R
Nicasia, RF (Carolina): 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Temple (Fayetteville): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Urias (W, 2-0) (Fayetteville): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO
Aquino (Carolina): 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 2, Woodpeckers 0) -- Jace Avina reaches on fielding error by Dauri Lorenzo, Jace Avina to 2nd. Kay-Lan Nicasia singles to right field, Jace Avina scores. Luke Adams hit by pitch, Kay-Lan Nicasia to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos flies out to Luis Encarnacion. Jadher Areinamo singles to left field, Kay-Lan Nicasia scores; Luke Adams to 2nd. Gregory Barrios flies out to Luis Encarnacion. Hedbert Perez flies out to Yamal Encarnacion.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 3, Woodpeckers 0) -- Kay-Lan Nicasia walks. Luke Adams walks, Kay-Lan Nicasia to 2nd. Jesus Chirinos flies out to Yamal Encarnacion. Jadher Areinamo flies out to Yamal Encarnacion. Kay-Lan Nicasia steals 3rd base, Luke Adams steals 2nd base, throwing error by John Garcia. Gregory Barrios flies out to Luis Encarnacion.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 0) -- Jace Avina singles to right field. Kay-Lan Nicasia grounds out, Trey Dombroski to Ricardo Balogh, Jace Avina to 2nd. Luke Adams pops out to Ricardo Balogh. Pitcher Change: Austin Temple replaces Trey Dombroski. Jesus Chirinos walks. Jadher Areinamo doubles to right field, Jace Avina scores; Jesus Chirinos to 3rd. Gregory Barrios lines out to Dauri Lorenzo.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Woodpeckers 6th (Mudcats 4, Woodpeckers 1) -- Jackson Loftin hit by pitch. Jackson Loftin steals 2nd base. Ricardo Balogh grounds out, Gregory Barrios to Jesus Chirinos, Jackson Loftin to 3rd. Narbe Cruz grounds out, Luke Adams to Jesus Chirinos, Jackson Loftin scores. Luis Encarnacion flies out to Jace Avina.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Woodpeckers 8th (Woodpeckers 4, Mudcats 4) -- Zachary Cole singles to deep shortstop. Jackson Loftin grounds out to Jose Sibrian. Ricardo Balogh singles to right field, Zachary Cole to 3rd. Narbe Cruz doubles to left field, Zachary Cole scores; Ricardo Balogh to 3rd. Pitcher Change: Tanner Shears replaces Chase Costello. Luis Encarnacion reaches on fielding error by Gregory Barrios. Wild pitch by Tanner Shears, Ricardo Balogh scores; Narbe Cruz to 3rd; Luis Encarnacion to 2nd. Tanner Shears intentionally walks Dauri Lorenzo. John Garcia grounds into a force out, Gregory Barrios to Jadher Areinamo, Narbe Cruz scores; Luis Encarnacion to 3rd; Dauri Lorenzo out at 2nd. Sandro Gaston pops out to Jadher Areinamo.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Woodpeckers 9th (Woodpeckers 7, Mudcats 4) -- Yamal Encarnacion struck out looking. Zachary Cole singles through the hole at second base. Jackson Loftin hit by pitch, Zachary Cole to 2nd. Wild pitch by Tanner Shears, Zachary Cole to 3rd; Jackson Loftin to 2nd. Tanner Shears intentionally walks Ricardo Balogh. Wild pitch by Tanner Shears, Zachary Cole scores; Jackson Loftin to 3rd; Ricardo Balogh to 2nd. Passed ball by Jose Sibrian, Jackson Loftin scores; Ricardo Balogh to 3rd. Ricardo Balogh scores on a balk. Narbe Cruz strikes out swinging. Luis Encarnacion strikes out swinging.
(3 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Woodpeckers 7, Mudcats 5) -- Jace Avina pops out to Dauri Lorenzo. Kay-Lan Nicasia pops out to Narbe Cruz. Luke Adams hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)