Valerio Leads Carolina to Streak Snapping Victory

KANNAPOLIS – Felix Valerio went 4-for-4 and reached base safely in all six plate appearances, Joe Gray Jr. had a bases loaded three-run double and Zavier Warren had two hits and scored twice as the Mudcats snapped a three-game skid with a 12-5 victory versus Kannapolis at Atrium Health Ballpark on Saturday night.

Valerio went 4-for-4 and reached base safely in all six of his plate appearances. He also walked twice, drove in two runs and scored twice while helping the Mudcats (20-14) halt their losing streak at three straight. Carolina also took advantage of eight Kannapolis errors while getting the victory.

Beyond Valerio, the Mudcats received big nights from several players, including Gabe Holt who scored three times while going 2-for-6 out of the leadoff spot. Zavier Warren went 2-for-4 with two runs while playing at first for the first time all season. Noah Campbell finished the game 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI despite leaving in the middle of his fourth at bat with an apparent injury.

Brendan Murphy started and earned the win after working through the fifth with three runs allowed on five hits. Murphy (3-1, 4.38) also walked four and struck out two. Matthew Thompson started for Kannapolis and took the loss after allowing six earned runs and five hits over an inning and 1/3. Thompson (0-4, 8.10) was the first of six pitchers in the game for Kannapolis.

The scoring began early as Holt singled and scored in the first to put Carolina up 1-0. A leadoff home run moments later from Jose Rodriguez in the bottom of the first tied the game at 1-1.

The Mudcats then broke the game open with a seven run second while jumping out to a 8-1 lead. Joe Gray Jr. brought in three of Carolina’s seven runs with a bases loaded double and RBI singles from Noah Campbell, Alex Hall and Andre Nnebe scored the others.

Carolina then added to the lead with a RBI double from Valerio in the third to go up 9-1. Kannapolis, meanwhile, scored once in the fourth and once more in the fifth, while cutting the Carolina lead to 9-3. Ivan Gonzalez walked with the bags full to score the run in the fourth and Luis Mieses drove in the fifth inning run with a sacrifice fly.

A Daniel Castillo sacrifice fly in the sixth later put the Mudcats 10-1 and a slew of Kannapolis errors would help score Carolina’s final two runs in the eighth. Kannapolis later scored twice in the eighth on a home run from Caberera Weaver to make it 12-5.

The victory pulled the Mudcats within one game of leveling the series at three games apiece. Kannapolis leads the series 3-2 with the finale set for Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis.

*HOME RUNS:

*Kannapolis: Rodriguez, J (4, 1st inning off Murphy, 0 on, 0 out); Weaver (4, 8th inning off Guerrero, 1 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Valerio, F, 3B (Carolina): 4-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI
Holt, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-6, 3 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Campbell, LF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Warren, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Rodriguez, J, SS (Kannapolis): 2-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Gladney, 3B (Kannapolis): 2-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Weaver, CF (Kannapolis): 2-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Mendoza, H, 1B (Kannapolis): 2-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Murphy (W, 3-1) (Carolina): 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO
Long (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Fernandez (Kannapolis): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Jenkins (Kannapolis): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
Messer (Kannapolis): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

SCORING PLAYS:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 0) -- Gabe Holt singles to left field. Freddy Zamora strikes out swinging. Joe Gray Jr. strikes out swinging, Gabe Holt steals 2nd base. Noah Campbell singles to shallow center field, Gabe Holt scores; Noah Campbell advances to 2nd on throwing error by Jose Rodriguez. Zavier Warren walks. Felix Valerio walks, Noah Campbell to 3rd; Zavier Warren to 2nd. Alex Hall grounds out to Harvin Mendoza.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 3 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 1st (Mudcats 1, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Jose Rodriguez hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-0 pitch. Chase Krogman flies out to Andre Nnebe. Bryan Ramos walks. Luis Mieses grounds out, Felix Valerio to Zavier Warren, Bryan Ramos to 2nd. DJ Gladney grounds out, Daniel Castillo to Zavier Warren.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 8, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Andre Nnebe walks. Daniel Castillo walks, Andre Nnebe to 2nd. Gabe Holt singles to right field, Andre Nnebe to 3rd; Daniel Castillo to 2nd. Freddy Zamora flies out to Chase Krogman. Joe Gray Jr. doubles to right field, Andre Nnebe scores; Daniel Castillo scores; Gabe Holt scores; Joe Gray Jr. advances to 3rd on throwing error by Luis Mieses. Noah Campbell singles to left field, Joe Gray Jr. scores. Pitcher Change: Kevin Folman replaces Matthew Thompson on a 1-2 count. Zavier Warren singles to left-center field, fielding error by Chase Krogman. Wild pitch by Kevin Folman, Zavier Warren to 2nd. Felix Valerio walks. Alex Hall singles through the hole at second base, Noah Campbell scores; Zavier Warren to 3rd; Felix Valerio to 2nd. Andre Nnebe singles through the hole at shortstop, Zavier Warren scores; Felix Valerio to 3rd; Alex Hall to 2nd. Daniel Castillo reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Jose Rodriguez, Felix Valerio scores; Alex Hall to 3rd; throwing error by Jose Rodriguez. Gabe Holt flies out to Chase Krogman. Freddy Zamora pops out to Jose Rodriguez.

(7 Runs, 6 Hits, 3 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 1) -- Joe Gray Jr. strikes out on foul tip. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Arbert Cipion replaces Noah Campbell on a 1-2 count. Noah Campbell struck out looking. Zavier Warren singles to left-center field. Felix Valerio doubles to right field, Zavier Warren scores. Alex Hall lines out to Harvin Mendoza.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 4th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 2) -- DJ Gladney singles to left-center field. Caberea Weaver walks, DJ Gladney to 2nd. Harvin Mendoza singles to deep shortstop, DJ Gladney to 3rd; Caberea Weaver to 2nd. Lency Delgado strikes out swinging. Ivan Gonzalez walks, DJ Gladney scores; Caberea Weaver to 3rd; Harvin Mendoza to 2nd. Jose Rodriguez grounds into double play, Gabe Holt to Daniel Castillo to Zavier Warren, Ivan Gonzalez out at 2nd, Jose Rodriguez out at 1st.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 5th (Mudcats 9, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Chase Krogman flies out to Arbert Cipion. Bryan Ramos triples to right-center field. Luis Mieses out on a sacrifice fly to Joe Gray Jr., Bryan Ramos scores. DJ Gladney grounds out, Felix Valerio to Zavier Warren.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 10, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Felix Valerio singles to center field, Felix Valerio advances to 2nd on fielding error by Caberea Weaver. Alex Hall walks. Pitcher Change: Rigo Fernandez replaces Sammy Peralta. Andre Nnebe reaches on fielding error by DJ Gladney, Felix Valerio to 3rd; Alex Hall to 2nd. Daniel Castillo out on a sacrifice fly to Luis Mieses, Felix Valerio scores; Alex Hall to 3rd; Andre Nnebe to 2nd. Gabe Holt struck out looking. Freddy Zamora lines out to Chase Krogman.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 2 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 8th (Mudcats 12, Cannon Ballers 3) -- Pitcher Change: Brandon Jenkins replaces Rigo Fernandez. Daniel Castillo walks. Gabe Holt reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by Harvin Mendoza. throwing error by Harvin Mendoza. Freddy Zamora walks, Daniel Castillo to 3rd; Gabe Holt to 2nd. Joe Gray Jr. strikes out swinging. Arbert Cipion strikes out swinging. Zavier Warren reaches on fielding error by Lency Delgado, Daniel Castillo scores; Gabe Holt to 3rd; Freddy Zamora to 2nd. Felix Valerio singles to shallow left field, Gabe Holt scores; Freddy Zamora to 3rd; Zavier Warren to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Tyson Messer replaces Brandon Jenkins. Alex Hall grounds into a force out, fielded by Jose Rodriguez, Felix Valerio out at 2nd.

(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 2 Errors, 3 LOB)

Cannon Ballers 8th (Mudcats 12, Cannon Ballers 5) -- DJ Gladney singles to right-center field. Caberea Weaver hits a home run to left field on a 1-1 pitch, DJ Gladney scores. Harvin Mendoza singles up the middle. Lency Delgado strikes out swinging. Victor Torres singles up the middle. Jose Rodriguez strikes out swinging.

(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)