Headed to Game Three

9/14 Game Recap

By: Jackson Pass

In game two of the Playoff Division series between the Carolina Mudcats and the Down East Wood Ducks, Joseph Montalvo started on the mound for the Woodies, going three up three down with two fly balls and a groundout. In the bottom of the first, Aquino retired three straight Woodies batters, picking up two strikeouts. Montalvo worked quickly through his second inning on nine pitches, as Sibrian was the first batter to reach base on the game with a one out line drive single to left and a double play ended the top half. Aquino went one, two, three against the Woodies once again, picking up another strikeout. Avina singled to lead off the top of the third as Hurdle went to work behind Montalvo, fielding two more groundballs in the third inning, keeping the Mudcats out of scoring position. The Woodies gave Aquino a scare in the bottom half of the third as Hurdle reached on a hit by pitch and Cueva on an infield single. Both runners moved up on a grounder to first making it two outs. The Woodies failed to score a run, flying out to left to end the inning.

With one out in the fourth, Adams double for the first Mudcat in scoring position on the night. Two groundouts left Adams stranded on third base as the game was still scoreless. The Woodies once again reached scoring position in the bottom of the fourth as Piotto reached on an error, advanced to second on a balk, and moved up to third on a single by Moller. The Woodies offense left two runners on base as Aquino squeezed out of the inning. The Mudcats were the first to break the tie in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs with Baez scoring on a RBI single by Castillo and Guilarte on a sac fly to left by O’Rae, both runs credited to Montalvo as Widger entered from the bullpen to finish off the last two batters. Cueva reached for the Woodies in the bottom of the fifth with one out as Aquino got a double play to end the inning. Davalillo entered from the Woodies bullpen in the top of the sixth, going three up three down against the middle of the Mudcats order. Aquino came back out for the bottom of the sixth, giving up a single to Blackmon and retiring the next three Woodies batters to end the inning on a strikeout.

The Mudcats scored again in the seventh to take a 3-0 lead with an RBI groundout scoring Baez from third. A ton of runs came in the eighth as the Mudcats tacked on two more on a two RBI double by Avina, Mudcats up 5-0. The Woodies put up four runs in the bottom of the eighth to get back in the game with Scott scoring on a Villarroel groundout, Blackmon scoring on a Moller single, Piotto and Moller on a RBI single by Figuereo. Eury Rosado struck out two in the ninth for the Woodies to keep the game at 5-4. In the bottom of the ninth, Scott got on with a two out RBI single. Mendez replaced Scott as a pinch runner on first and Blackmon singled to make it first and third. With Villarroel at bat, he hit a slow chopper to the shortstop for an error, allowing the run to score and the game to be tied.

In extras Areinamo started on second base for the Mudcats in the top of the tenth as a single by Adams moved Areinamo to third base. Areinamo scored on a RBI groundout by Chirinos, Mudcats up 6-5. In the bottom of the tenth, Piotto started on second for the Woodies and he moved up to third on a groundout to shortstop. Figuereo stepped up the plate and hit a fly ball to right field with Pitto tagging on the play to score, but the call was overturned as the Mudcats appealed to third base and Piotto was called out for leaving early.

The Wood Ducks (1-1) and Carolina Mudcats (1-1) play game three of the Division series September 15^th at 7pm.

Fans can purchase tickets on woodducksbaseball.com, by calling the Wood Ducks Team Offices at (252) 686-5164 or in the Wood Ducks Team Offices located at Grainger Stadium (Tues-Fri – 10am - 4pm). Make sure to follow your Down East Wood Ducks on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook so you don’t miss anything!