Kannpolis Unable to Keep Up with Hot Mudcat Bats In 15-10 Loss

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Eight of the nine Cannon Baller bats tallied a hit, but Kannapolis could not thwart the hot-hitting Carolina Mudcats in the second of six this week at Atrium Health Ballpark, falling 15-10 in the camp day showdown.

RHP Matthew Thompson made his return to Kannapolis on Wednesday, beginning the ballgame on the mound for skipper Guillermo Quiroz. The No.3 overall prospect in the White Sox organization worked efficiently in his three frames of work, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out three. LHP Ty Madrigal (L, 0-2) entered in relief in the fourth frame, providing a quality outing despite allowing three runs on one hit with two walks and three punchouts.

Carolina opened the scoring in the top of the second on a Noah Campbell RBI groundout that scored Ashton McGee. Darrien Miller then followed with an RBI single, giving the Mudcats an early 2-0 lead.

Chase Krogman kept the Ballers in the ballgame with a three-run home run to right-center field, scoring Luis Mieses and Harvin Mendoza and pulling Kannapolis ahead 3-2.

Bullpen struggles haunted the Cannon Ballers again in the top of the sixth inning. After two walks and a fielder’s choice, McGee smacked a three-run shot over the right field wall, giving Carolina the lead for the second time in the ballgame. Later in the inning, a Darrien Miller stolen base at second gave Campbell the chance to swipe home plate, growing the lead to 6-3 in favor of the Mudcats. Michael Wilson notched an RBI single later in the inning, wrapping up the sixth frame with Carolina ahead 7-3.

LHP Jason Munsch (W, 1-1) started on the mound for the Mudcats Wednesday. The southpaw fired an effective five innings of work, allowing two hits and three runs while also walking three and striking four. RHP Juan Geraldo (H, 1) relieved Munsch in the sixth, going three innings and allowing three runs on four hits with one walk and four punchouts.

Felix Valerio added insurance runs for the Mudcats in the top of the seventh with an RBI single that allowed Gabe Holt and Freddy Zamora to cross the plate, expanding the lead to 9-3. McGee followed with an RBI triple that scored Warren and Valerio for 2 of his 9 RBIs on the day, giving Carolina an even larger lead at 11-3.

Victor Torres did not give up, tallying his 13th RBI of the season on an RBI groundout to second base in the bottom of the seventh, chipping away at the lead to make it 11-4.

McGee’s sixth through ninth RBIs occurred in the top of the eighth with a grand slam that drove home Wilson, Holt, and Valerio to expand the Mudcats lead to 15-4.

Resilience by the Ballers bats in the bottom of the eighth pulled Kannapolis closer despite the large deficit with D.J. Gladney adding an RBI single that scored Mieses followed by a Mendoza RBI single that made it 15-6, advantage Carolina.

Jose Rodriguez extended his hitting streak in the bottom of the ninth, tallying a two-RBI double on a hard-hit line drive to left-center field. Samil Polanco followed Popeye with a two-RBI double of his own off RHP Kent Hasler, creeping the Ballers to within striking distance at 15-10 in favor of the Mudcats.

Kannapolis will be back in action on Thursday night for the third of six matchups with Carolina this week. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. with the Cannon Ballers planning their biggest Bark in the Park of the season. The starting pitcher for Kannapolis is TBD, while the Mudcats will send out the hard-throwing RHP Abner Uribe (1-0, 3.77 ERA) to open the ballgame.

Tickets can be purchased for any remaining home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark.