McDowell scores twice in 3-2, 12-inning victory

KINSTON, N.C. - Trent Clark broke a 2-2 tie in the 12th with a RBI single to center and scored Max McDowell from second as the Mudcats won game one of a four game series 3-2 against the Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium in Kinston on Monday night.

The Mudcats (58-61, 22-29) totaled just three hits and had three errors (with all three leading to an unearned run in the third) in the series opening victory against the Wood Ducks (49-71, 25-26). They also struck out 18 times, but ended up winning the series opener while improving to 8-3 in extra-innings this season.
McDowell went 1-for-3 in the game and scored twice, including one of Carolina's two runs in the seventh and the go-ahead run in the final frame. McDowell's hit in the fifth was Carolina's first of the game and was the only hit allowed by Down East starter Kyle Cody. 
Cody pitched into the seventh and allowed just one hit, but left with two on after walking two in the inning. Reliever Jose Valdespina followed and balked the two runners he inherited over to second and third before giving up a two-run, two-out single to Wendell Rijo.
Rijo's hit was Carolina's second of the game and scored both McDowell and Luis Aviles Jr. while tying the game at 2-2. Both runs were charged to Cody, leaving his line at six and 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on just one hit. He also walked two and struck out a career high 11 while finishing without a decision.
Carolina's final hit of the game came in the 12th when Clark knocked in McDowell from second as the eventual game winning run. McDowell reached earlier in the final inning after he was hit by reliever Adam Choplick with one out in the inning. Jose Cuas followed with a walk and Clark then came through with his go-ahead single up the middle. Clark was 1-for-4 with the go-ahead RBI and his league leading 83rd walk of the season.
The Wood Ducks ended up getting a man on in their half of the 12th after Matt Lipka started the frame with a leadoff walk against Nate Griep. Lipka was later caught attempting to steal second in the 12th and Griep went on to retire the next two batters via strikeout while earning his Carolina League leading 23rd save of the season.
Cody Ponce started for Carolina and pitched through the seventh while allowing just two runs on five hits. He also finished without a decision and gave up just the two runs (one earned) while striking out four and reaching 89 pitches (65 strikes) in his start.
Eric Hanhold eventually took over for Ponce in the eighth and was able to pitch around two hits in the eighth and a leadoff triple in the ninth while working through two scoreless innings. 
Luke Barker (1-0, 2.81) also pitched through two innings and worked around two hits while holding the Wood Ducks scoreless and earning his first Carolina League victory.
The Wood Ducks totaled 10 hits in the loss and were held to just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Their only run scoring hit of the game came in the sixth when Ti'Quan Forbes brought in Carlos Garay with a single to right-center.
Garay went 3-for-5 with a run in the game for the Wood Ducks. Preston Scott, Forbes and Evan Van Hoosier, meanwhile, all went 2-for-5 for the Down East.
Valdespina suffered his second blown save of the season in Monday's opener in Kinston. Adam Choplick also pitched in relief and finished with two scoreless frames, two walks and three strikeouts. Tyler Ferguson (2-6, 7.39) took the loss after giving up a run on one hit, while striking out two in the 12th and final inning.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats and Wood Ducks will continue their four game series on Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
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