Wood Ducks Drop Opener to Mudcats

ZEBULON, NC - The Wood Ducks (25-19) battled from behind in the seventh, but could not repeat the comeback in the ninth in a 4-2 loss to the Mudcats (22-22). Emerson Martinez worked into the seventh inning despite his fourth loss of the season.

All seven of Down East's hits were singles as only Andretty Cordero managed a multi-hit evening. Both starting pitchers were tangled in a scoreless duel halfway through the game.
Martinez had retired each of the first ten batters he faced, but encountered trouble in the fifth. With runners on first and second and two outs, a base hit by Robert Henry scored Luis Aviles Jr. from second for the game's first run.
The Woodies responded two innings later after starter Trey Supak exited the game. Carolina's bullpen allowed runners on first and second with only one out for the top of the order. Eric Jenkins lined a single up the middle to score Brendon Davis from second.
But on the throw home, Mudcat catcher Nathan Rodriguez tried to throw to second to get EJ advancing on the play and threw it into center field. That error allowed Anthony Gose to score from third and give the DEWDs the lead.
However in the bottom half of the inning, the Mudcats would respond with three runs of their own (two earned) and tag Martinez with a loss.
Down East managed to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with a two-out rally in the ninth, but it wasn't meant to be as a pop out ended the game. 
The Wood Ducks not only remain in first place but also keep the best record in the Carolina League despite the loss. They look to Edgar Arredondo on Tuesday to even the series against lefty Nathan Kirby at 7:00 p.m.