Avina Homers in 7-5 Loss to Fayetteville
July 5, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
ZEBULON, N.C. - Jace Avina hit a game-tying three-run home run in the fourth and Jesus Chirinos went 2-for-4 with a RBI single in the seventh, but the Carolina Mudcats fell short in a 7-5 loss to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium.
The Mudcats (4-7, 37-37) managed to tie the game two times, but never led as they lost game two of their six-game series with the visiting Woodpeckers (5-6, 35-42) in Zebulon.
Carolina originally behind 3-0, but came back in the fourth when Avina homered to tie the game at 3-3. Fayetteville went on to answer with two runs in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead, but Carolina once again locked it at 5-5 in the seventh with a Chirinos' RBI single and a run-scoring double play rolled into by Luis Castillo. The double play ball tied the game at 5-5, but again Fayetteville answered with in the one in the eighth and one in the ninth to win it 7-5.
Reliever Tyler Wehrle took the loss after giving up a go-ahead homer to Jackson Loftin in the eighth. Wehrle (L, 5-4) also allowed a run in the ninth, but gave up just two runs on four hits while working the final four innings in relief.
Carolina starter Will Rudy pitched through the fifth and finished with five runs allowed on a career-high 10 hits. He initially gave up RBI singles to Ricardo Balogh in the first and third, before giving up a solo home run to Leosdany Molina in the third. The home run stretched Rudy's streak of consecutive starts with at least one home run allowed to six straight.
Rudy nearly escaped his fifth and final inning with the game still tied at 3-3, but the Woodpeckers rallied for three straight two-out hits while scoring twice to take a 5-3 lead. Fayetteville's John Garcia and Loftin both had RBI singles in the fifth.
Jose Fleury started for the Woodpeckers and worked into the fifth with three runs allowed on six hits while finishing without a decision. The victory went to reliever Tyler Guilfoil as he pitched through three and 1/3 with two runs on four hits.
The series is now tied at 1-1 and will continue on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium.
HOME RUNS:
Fayetteville: Molina (2, 4th inning off Rudy, 0 on, 0 out); Loftin (4, 8th inning off Wehrle, 0 on, 0 out).
Carolina: Avina (8, 4th inning off Fleury, 2 on, 2 out).
STOLEN BASES:
Fayetteville: Garcia, J (6, 2nd base off Rudy/Sibrian); Loftin (29, 2nd base off Rudy/Sibrian).
Carolina: Adams (20, 2nd base off Fleury/Garcia, J); Nicasia (19, 2nd base off Guilfoil/Garcia, J).
TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Balogh, 3B (Fayetteville): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Loftin, 2B (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Garcia, J, C (Fayetteville): 2-for-5, 1 R, 2 RBI
Molina, SS (Fayetteville): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Avina, LF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Lara, CF (Carolina): 2-for-5
Vargas, 2B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Fleury (Fayetteville): 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
Guilfoil (W, 2-1)(BS, 2) (Fayetteville): 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Molero (S, 2) (Fayetteville): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
Wehrle (L, 5-4) (Carolina): 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
SCORING:
Woodpeckers 1st (Woodpeckers 1, Mudcats 0) -- Zachary Cole singles to right field. Luis Encarnacion grounds out, Jadher Areinamo to Jesus Chirinos, Zachary Cole to 2nd. Ricardo Balogh singles down the right-field line, Zachary Cole scores. Dauri Lorenzo doubles to right field, Ricardo Balogh to 3rd. John Garcia flies out to Luis Lara. Jackson Loftin strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)
Woodpeckers 3rd (Woodpeckers 2, Mudcats 0) -- Luis Encarnacion doubles to right field. Ricardo Balogh singles to left-center field, Luis Encarnacion scores. Dauri Lorenzo flies out to Luis Lara. John Garcia lines out to Luke Adams. Jackson Loftin flies out to Luis Lara.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Woodpeckers 4th (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 0) -- Leosdany Molina hits a home run to left field on a 2-0 pitch. Garrett McGowan pops out to Luke Adams in foul territory. Roilan Machandy grounds out, Jadher Areinamo to Jesus Chirinos. Zachary Cole flies out to Luis Lara.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)
Mudcats 4th (Woodpeckers 3, Mudcats 3) -- Luis Castillo struck out looking. Luke Adams singles up the middle. Jose Sibrian flies out to Garrett McGowan. Luke Adams steals 2nd base. Jheremy Vargas singles to shallow left field, Luke Adams to 3rd. Jace Avina hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch, Luke Adams scores; Jheremy Vargas scores. Quinton Low pops out to Jackson Loftin.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)
Woodpeckers 5th (Woodpeckers 5, Mudcats 3) -- Luis Encarnacion grounds out, Jheremy Vargas to Jesus Chirinos. Ricardo Balogh grounds out, Jadher Areinamo to Jesus Chirinos. Dauri Lorenzo doubles to right-center field. John Garcia singles to right-center field, Dauri Lorenzo scores. John Garcia steals 2nd base. Jackson Loftin singles to left-center field, John Garcia scores. Jackson Loftin steals 2nd base. Leosdany Molina flies out to Luis Lara.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 7th (Woodpeckers 5, Mudcats 5) -- Quinton Low singles to shallow left field. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Kay-Lan Nicasia replaces Quinton Low. Kay-Lan Nicasia steals 2nd base. Jesus Chirinos singles to center field, Kay-Lan Nicasia scores. Jadher Areinamo hit by pitch, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Luis Lara singles to left-center field, Jesus Chirinos to 3rd; Jadher Areinamo to 2nd. Luis Castillo grounds into double play, Leosdany Molina to Jackson Loftin to Luis Encarnacion, Jesus Chirinos scores; Jadher Areinamo to 3rd; Luis Lara out at 2nd, Luis Castillo out at 1st. Luke Adams strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Woodpeckers 8th (Woodpeckers 6, Mudcats 5) -- Kay-Lan Nicasia remains in the game as the designated hitter. Jackson Loftin hits a home run to left field on a 0-0 pitch. Leosdany Molina strikes out swinging. Garrett McGowan struck out looking. Roilan Machandy singles to left-center field. Zachary Cole singles to left-center field, Roilan Machandy to 3rd; Zachary Cole to 2nd. Luis Encarnacion grounds out, Luke Adams to Jesus Chirinos.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)
Woodpeckers 9th (Woodpeckers 7, Mudcats 5) -- Ricardo Balogh walks. Dauri Lorenzo grounds out to Jheremy Vargas, Ricardo Balogh to 2nd. Wild pitch by Tyler Wehrle, Ricardo Balogh to 3rd. John Garcia singles to right-center field, Ricardo Balogh scores. Jackson Loftin pops out to Jadher Areinamo. Leosdany Molina grounds out.Leosdany Molina out on batter interference.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Single-game tickets, season ticket packages, mini plans, group options, as well as luxury suite packages and DRB Homes Sky Lounge reservations in the US Foods Club Level are also still available now by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com, by calling (919) 269-2287, and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon.
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