Mudcats open home series with 7-3 victory

ZEBULON, N.C. - Max McDowell hit a two-run home run in the second, Monte Harrison hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Marcos Diplan worked through his second quality start of the season as the Mudcats defeated the Wood Ducks 7-3 on Wednesday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (46-42, 10-10) led first in Wednesday's game after getting three early runs across in the second off Down East (33-55, 9-10) starter Brett Martin. They later added two more in the fourth before scoring twice in the sixth while taking the series opener in Zebulon.
Isan Díaz sparked the three run second by battling through a 14-pitch at-bat with a double to left center and then scoring on a single to right from Harrison. McDowell then followed with a two-run home run to left to give the Mudcats a 3-0 lead. The home run was McDowell's first of the season.
The Wood Ducks came back with a run in the fourth, but Harrison quickly answered with a two-run home run of his own while putting his club up 5-1. Harrison's home run was his third with the Mudcats and 14th overall between Low-A and High-A this season.
Martin (1-4, 5.31) allowed both home runs and five runs on seven hits over five innings pitched in Wednesday's series opener. All five of Carolina's runs versus Martin scored with two outs in the third and fifth innings of the game.
The Mudcats led 5-1 before the Wood Ducks came back with two runs on a Yeyson Yrizzari home run off Diplan (5-5, 5.74) to cut the Carolina lead to 5-3 in the sixth. Yrizzari was 1-for-4 with a run and a home run and two RBIs in the loss for the Wood Ducks. Evan Van Hoosier was 2-for-3 and drove in a run as well for Down East.
Diplan later worked through a scoreless sixth and finished with three runs allowed on five hits over six full innings. He matched a season high with five walks, but also struck out three while earning his first win of the second half.
The Mudcats rallied for two more runs in the sixth after both Harrison and McDowell drove in runs to lift the Mudcats to a 7-3 lead. Harrison and McDowell combined to drive in all seven Carolina runs in the game. Harrison was 2-for-4 with three runs, a home run and four RBIs. McDowell finished at 2-for-3 with a run, a home run and three RBIs.
Carolina led 7-3 after six and relievers Luke Barker and Nate Griep combined to keep the Wood Ducks scoreless over the final three frames while sealing the win. 
Barker struck out two in the scoreless seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth while holding the Wood Ducks to just one hit in his Carolina League debut. 
Griep walked and hit a batter in the ninth, but finished the final frame by inducing a double play to end the game.
The Carolina defense totaled five double plays in the game, with four of the five coming in support of Diplan between the first and sixth innings.
UP NEXT: The series will continue on Thursday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. Jordan Yamamoto (2-1, 3.44) is scheduled to start for the Mudcats in game two of the four game set on Thursday night. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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