Mudcats Allow Franchise Record 23 Hits in 17-5 Loss

Down East 17 @ Carolina 5

September 07, 2021 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 6:59 PM | T : 3:29

DE: 0 1 2 4 0 0 3 0 7 17 23 1

CAR: 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 5 10 1

WP: Gavin Collyer (3 - 1) LP: Alexander Cornielle (0 - 1) SV: Eris Filpo (1)

ZEBULON – Micah Bello had a RBI double in the first and later teamed with Wes Clarke on back-to-back with home runs in the seventh, but the Mudcats allowed a single game franchise record 23 hits in a series opening 17-5 loss to the Down East Wood Ducks on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (63-46) originally led 1-0 after the first thanks to Bello’s run-scoring double off starter Gavin Collyer in the opening frame. That 1-0 lead, however, disappeared almost immediately as Down East’s Christian Inoa followed with a game-tying home run off Carolina’s starter Alexander Cornielle in the second to lock the game at 1-1.

The Wood Ducks (65-44) then went on to break the 1-1 tie with run scoring hits from Aaron Zavala and Inoa in the third while taking a 3-1 lead. They broke the game open, meanwhile, with four runs in the fourth while getting a RBI single form Jayce Easley, a two-run single from Luisangel Acuna and a RBI single from Keyber Rodriguez.

Cornielle (0-1, 14.73), in what was his first start with Carolina, allowed the first three runs of the game over the second and third innings, before allowing three of the four scored by Down East in the fourth. Reliever Junior Montero eventually replaced Cornielle in the fourth and went on to allow a run and two inherited runners to score (Acuna’s two-run single) before later pitching a scoreless fifth and sixth. In all, Cornielle allowed six runs on nine hits, while also striking out six over three and 2/3 innings. Montero then gave up six hits and just one run over two and a 1/3 inning pitched.

Down East led 7-1 until Noah Campbell singled in a run with two outs in the sixth. That RBI single was the first of two hits in the game for Campbell and the first run allowed by reliever Theo McDowell.

Campbell’s RBI hit in the sixth made it 7-2, but the Wood Ducks came right back in the seventh with three more runs against Carolina’s reliever Keegan McCarville. Daniel Mateo drove in two in the seventh for Down East and Zavala drove in the other. Zavala reached base safely six times while going 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs and three RBI.

Carolina trailed 10-2 in the seventh before getting Bello and Clarke’s back-to-back homers. Bello’s was a two-run blast, while Clarke’s was a solo shot. Both home runs came against McDowell and cut the lead down to 10-5.

The Mudcats then turned to reliever Justin Miller who worked a perfect eighth before allowing seven runs and four hits in the ninth. Miller started the ninth with a strikeout (his fourth straight out), but then hit Randy Florentino in the helmet before allowing a double and walking three straight batters to force in two runs. He eventually got a pop out for the second out of the ninth, but then gave up consecutive RBI hits to Yenci Pena and Cody Freeman.

Carolina once again had to bring in Campbell from leftfield to pitch the remainder of the ninth after the Wood Ducks forced Miller of out of the game. Campbell, making his third appearance on the mound in the home stand, allowed a RBI double and struck out a batter to finish the ninth for Carolina.

The seven run ninth put the game out of reach as it lifted the Wood Ducks to a 17-5 lead. Reliever Eris Filpo (S, 1) worked the final three innings while earning the save and Collyer (3-1, 3.36) earned the win while going through five complete with six strikeouts two walks and one unearned run allowed.

The loss dropped the Mudcats to two games back of Down East in the Low-A East Central division and four games back of Salem in the overall standings and second playoff spot.

Carolina's 23 hits allowed broke the previous club record of 22 hits allowed in a single game, originally set in 1998.

HOME RUNS:

Down East HR : Inoa (9, 2nd inning off Cornielle, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina HR : Bello (3, 7th inning off McDowell, T, 1 on, 0 out); Clarke, W (4, 7th inning off McDowell, T, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Bello, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Clarke, W, 1B (Carolina): 1-for-5, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Miller, D, C (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Campbell, LF-P (Carolina): 2-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Zavala, RF (Down East): 4-for-4, 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Acuna, 2B (Down East): 3-for-5, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Inoa, DH (Down East): 3-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Freeman, 3B (Down East): 3-for-6, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Acosta, 1B (Down East): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Mateo, LF-CF (Down East): 3-for-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Montero (Carolina): 2.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

McCarville (Carolina): 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

Campbell (Carolina): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Collyer (W, 3-1) (Down East): 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

Filpo (S, 1) (Down East): 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Wood Ducks 0) -- Zack Raabe reaches on fielding error by Keyber Rodriguez. Darrien Miller hit by pitch, Zack Raabe to 2nd. Alex Binelas struck out looking. Micah Bello doubles to left field, Zack Raabe scores; Darrien Miller to 3rd. Wes Clarke reaches on a fielder's choice out, Gavin Collyer to Randy Florentino, Darrien Miller out at home, Micah Bello to 3rd. Ethan Murray flies out to Jayce Easley.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 2nd (Wood Ducks 1, Mudcats 1) -- Cristian Inoa hits a home run to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch. Cody Freeman singles to left field, Cody Freeman out at 2nd on the throw, Noah Campbell to Ethan Murray. Jose Acosta strikes out swinging. Randy Florentino singles to right field. Daniel Mateo grounds out, Eduardo Garcia to Wes Clarke.

(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 3rd (Wood Ducks 3, Mudcats 1) -- Jayce Easley singles up the middle. Aaron Zavala doubles to right-center field, Jayce Easley scores. Luisangel Acuna singles to center field, Aaron Zavala to 3rd. Luisangel Acuna steals 2nd base. Keyber Rodriguez strikes out swinging. Cristian Inoa singles to right field, Aaron Zavala scores; Luisangel Acuna to 3rd. Cody Freeman grounds into double play, Eduardo Garcia to Ethan Murray to Wes Clarke, Cristian Inoa out at 2nd, Cody Freeman out at 1st.

(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Wood Ducks 4th (Wood Ducks 7, Mudcats 1) -- Jose Acosta walks. Wild pitch by Alexander Cornielle, Jose Acosta to 2nd. Randy Florentino strikes out swinging. Daniel Mateo strikes out swinging. Jayce Easley singles to left field, Jose Acosta scores. Aaron Zavala hit by pitch, Jayce Easley to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Junior Montero replaces Alexander Cornielle. Jayce Easley steals 3rd base, Aaron Zavala steals 2nd base. Luisangel Acuna singles up the middle, Jayce Easley scores; Aaron Zavala scores; Luisangel Acuna to 2nd. Luisangel Acuna steals 3rd base. Keyber Rodriguez singles to right field, Luisangel Acuna scores. Cristian Inoa singles to center field, Keyber Rodriguez to 2nd. Cody Freeman grounds into a force out, Eduardo Garcia to Ethan Murray, Cristian Inoa out at 2nd.

(4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Wood Ducks 7, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Theo McDowell replaces Gavin Collyer. Wes Clarke grounds out, Cody Freeman to Jose Acosta. Ethan Murray struck out looking. Hedbert Perez singles to right field. Eduardo Garcia walks, Hedbert Perez to 2nd. Noah Campbell singles to center field, Hedbert Perez scores; Eduardo Garcia to 2nd. Zack Raabe walks, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd; Noah Campbell to 2nd. Darrien Miller strikes out swinging.

(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Wood Ducks 7th (Wood Ducks 10, Mudcats 2) -- Pitcher Change: Keegan McCarville replaces Junior Montero. Cody Freeman singles to center field. Jose Acosta singles to right-center field, Cody Freeman to 3rd. Jose Acosta steals 2nd base. Randy Florentino strikes out swinging. Daniel Mateo singles to left-center field, Cody Freeman scores; Jose Acosta scores. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Alejandro Osuna replaces Jayce Easley. Alejandro Osuna strikes out swinging. Aaron Zavala doubles to right field, Daniel Mateo scores. Luisangel Acuna lines out to Ethan Murray.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Wood Ducks 10, Mudcats 5) -- Alejandro Osuna remains in the game as the left fielder. Defensive switch from left field to center field for Daniel Mateo. Alex Binelas walks. Micah Bello hits a home run to left-center field on a 1-1 pitch, Alex Binelas scores. Wes Clarke hits a home run to left field on a 3-0 pitch. Pitcher Change: Eris Filpo replaces Theo McDowell. Ethan Murray strikes out swinging. Hedbert Perez strikes out swinging. Eduardo Garcia singles to right-center field. Noah Campbell doubles to right-center field, Eduardo Garcia to 3rd. Zack Raabe grounds out, Cody Freeman to Jose Acosta.

(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Wood Ducks 9th (Wood Ducks 17, Mudcats 5) -- Jose Acosta struck out looking. Randy Florentino hit by pitch. Daniel Mateo doubles to left field, Randy Florentino to 3rd. Alejandro Osuna walks. Aaron Zavala walks, Randy Florentino scores; Daniel Mateo to 3rd; Alejandro Osuna to 2nd. Luisangel Acuna walks, Daniel Mateo scores; Alejandro Osuna to 3rd; Aaron Zavala to 2nd. Keyber Rodriguez pops out to Wes Clarke on the infield fly rule. Yenci Pena singles to right-center field, Alejandro Osuna scores; Aaron Zavala scores; Luisangel Acuna to 2nd. Cody Freeman doubles to center field, Luisangel Acuna scores; Yenci Pena scores. Defensive Substitution: Andre Nnebe replaces Zack Raabe, batting 1st, playing left field. Pitcher Change: Noah Campbell replaces Justin Miller, batting 9th. Jose Acosta doubles to right field, Cody Freeman scores. Randy Florentino strikes out swinging.

(7 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)