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CarL Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Ballers Get Hard-Fought Win Friday Night over Fayetteville

June 25, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - Harvin Mendoza's three RBIs and clutch late-game pitching helped guide the Cannon Ballers to victory on Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark, winning 5-4 over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers.

LHP Bailey Horn started on the mound for Kannapolis on the mound. The southpaw from Auburn struggled in the first inning but calmed down quickly, throwing 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, three runs, two earned, and one walk while striking out four. RHP Kevin Folman (W, 1-1) entered in relief in the fourth frame, providing a quality outing with five punchouts in his 3.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit.

Fayetteville's bats came out hot in the top of the first inning. After a single and an error allowed two Woodpeckers to reach base, J.C. Correa smacked an RBI double to left field to allow Shay Whitcomb and Jordan Brewer to score, making it 2-0. The very next batter Nerio Rodriguez made quick work of bringing Correa home, adding an RBI single to expand the lead to 3-0 for Fayetteville.

The two hottest hitters for the Ballers knotted the ballgame in the bottom of the third. Luis Mieses got Kannapolis on the board with an RBI single to right field, scoring Jose Rodriguez to make it 3-1. Two batters later, Mendoza tallied two of his xx RBIs on a hard-hit single to left field, tying the game at 3-3.

RHP Josh James, a bullpen arm for the Houston Astros, made the start for Fayetteville on the mound in his first outing on his rehab stint. The righty from Florida tossed one inning, allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out one. RHP Jayson Schroeder, who was pushed from his start due to James' outing, entered in relief in the second inning, unable to have the success of his counterpart, allowing three runs on three hits in his two innings of work. Schroeder also walked three and struck out four in his outing.

After the Woodpeckers made a flurry of pitching changes, RHP Francisco Reina (L, 0-2) walked Rodriguez with the bases loaded, allowing Caberea Weaver the chance to cross the plate to give the Ballers a 4-3 lead.

Mendoza's third RBI of the night came in the bottom of the sixth with another RBI single, this time to center field, that scored Bryan Ramos from second base to add an insurance run for Kannapolis, expanding the lead to 5-3. Mendoza's 3 RBIs in the ballgame earned him 5-Star Transmission and Total Auto Care Star of the Game honors on Friday night.

After RHP Jordan Mikel (H, 1) struggled with walks and base hits in the ninth inning, RHP Tyson Messer (S, 1) shut the door on the Woodpeckers with a strikeout of Kenedy Corona to seal the deal on the Ballers victory.

Kannapolis will look to move ahead in the series in the fifth of six matchups with Fayetteville on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. RHP Angel Acevedo (1-1, 5.12 ERA) will take the mound for the Ballers, while the Woodpeckers will send out RHP Cesar Gomez (0-3, 3.73 ERA) to begin the night on the hill.

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

Check out the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Statistics



Carolina League Stories from June 25, 2021


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