BALLERS DROP MOTHER’S DAY MATCHUP TO WOOD DUCKS 9-2
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Jose Rodriguez and Bryan Ramos both notched multi-hit games at the plate on Mother’s Day at Atrium Health Ballpark, but the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers failed to avoid the sweep Sunday afternoon, falling 9-2 to the Down East Wood Ducks (6-0). RHP Andrew Dalquist got the start for
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Jose Rodriguez and Bryan Ramos both notched multi-hit games at the plate on Mother’s Day at Atrium Health Ballpark, but the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers failed to avoid the sweep Sunday afternoon, falling 9-2 to the Down East Wood Ducks (6-0).
RHP Andrew Dalquist got the start for the Cannon Ballers on the mound for the Mother’s Day matchup. The No.7 overall prospect in the White Sox system once again did not make it to the third inning, only going an inning and two-thirds, giving up one hit, one run and walking three.
Kannapolis (0-6) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. After a Rodriguez triple, Ramos hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Rodriguez to make it a 1-0 lead for the Ballers.
Down East was quick to respond, tying the game in the top of the second on an RBI single off the bat of Evan Carter that allowed Randy Florentino to cross the plate, tying the game at 1-1.
The Wood Ducks broke the game open in the top of the third inning off a Keyber Rodriguez RBI single to center field to bring in Dustin Harris. The very next batter Antonio Cabello then smacked a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Cristian Inoa. Two batters after Cabello, Jose Rodriguez added another RBI single off Jerry Burke (L, 0-1) to make the score 4-1, advantage Woodies.
RHP Mason Englert began the day on the hill for the Wood Ducks. The 2018 4th round pick tossed three innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, and two walks while striking out five. Nick Starr (W, 2-0) followed Englert with an impressive bottom of the fourth inning. Starr threw a shutout inning with three strikeouts to keep the Ballers out of reach.
The offense for Down East kept rolling in the top of the fourth with another three-run tally. After Harris added an RBI single that brought in Carter, K. Rodriguez walked with the bases loaded to give the Wood Ducks a 6-1 lead. Cabello then notched his second RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in Harris, making it 7-1 Woodies through four.
In the top of the fifth inning, Harris got the second of his three RBIs on a sacrifice fly that scored Jayce Easley from third, adding an insurance run for Down East. The pitching struggles continued in the top of the seventh for the Cannon Ballers when Harris added another sacrifice fly to allow J. Rodriguez to cross the plate, making it a 9-1 ballgame.
The Ballers got a slight boost in the bottom of the eighth when Sam Abbott stepped to the plate to face Josh Smith. The Kuwait native crushed a 444-foot solo shot to left-center field to cut the Wood Ducks lead to 9-2.
The Cannon Ballers will take an off day on Monday before heading out on the road to Fayetteville to face the Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. Kannapolis returns home to Atrium Health Ballpark May 18th-23rd to face the Columbia Fireflies, Low-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.