CarL Carolina Mudcats

Chirinos Hits Clutch Homer in Extra-Innings Victory

Published on August 23, 2023 under Carolina League (CarL)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


ZEBULON, N.C. - Jesus Chirinos hit a game tying home run in the ninth to force extras and Jadher Areinamo scored on two wild pitches in the tenth as the first-place Carolina Mudcats walked off the Columbia Fireflies 7-6 in ten innings on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium.

Chirinos led the way for the Mudcats (30-20, 63-50) as he went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two walks, two runs and a RBI. His ninth inning homer tied the game at 6-6 and answered a two-run top of the ninth from the Fireflies (24-26, 59-56) that saw them erase a late 5-4 deficit to take a 6-5 lead.

Reliever Yerlin Rodriguez allowed both Columbia runs in the ninth and suffered his first blown save of the season. Chase Costello, however, followed Rodriguez in the tenth and went on to earn the win after tossing a scoreless frame. Costello (W, 8-3) struck out two and stranded Columbia's inserted runner at third.

Samuel Valerio took the loss for the Fireflies as he lost two wild pitches that first moved Areinamo to third and then scored him to give the Mudcats the series tying victory. Areinamo started the tenth as Carolina's inserted runner at second.

The Mudcats originally fell behind 2-0 in the first after the Fireflies scored twice off Carolina starter Jesus Rivero. That 2-0 deficit only lasted through the top of the opening frame as Carolina came right back with five runs in the home half of the first while taking a 5-2 lead. Carolina's five run first included a game-tying single from Luke Adams, a go-ahead RBI single from Areinamo and Jace Avina's two-run double to right.

Columbia's Trevor Werner cut the Carolina lead down to 5-3 in the second with a solo home run, but the Fireflies would be held to just one other run from the second through the eighth before getting two in the ninth. Werner also doubled and singled while going 3-for-3. Werner also homered twice the night prior and has totaled three home runs in the series.

Rivero started for Carolina and allowed three runs over his four inning start and reliever Brian Fitzpatrick allowed one run over four innings in relief.

The victory lifted the Mudcats into a 1-1 series with the Fireflies. It also kept Carolina in first place by 2.0 games over Lynchburg and 3.5 games over Fredericksburg as both teams won earlier in the night.

HOME RUNS:

Columbia: Werner (3, 2nd inning off Rivero, 0 on, 0 out).

Carolina: Chirinos (4, 9th inning off Herrera, E, 0 on, 0 out).

STOLEN BASES:

Columbia: Vazquez 2 (28, 3rd base off Rivero/Diaz, 2nd base off Rodriguez/Diaz); Roccaforte (7, 2nd base off Rivero/Diaz); Werner (3, 2nd base off Rivero/Diaz).

Carolina: O'Rae 2 (10, 2nd base off Hernandez, B/Dunhurst, home off Hernandez, B/Dunhurst); Guilarte (25, 2nd base off Hernandez, B/Dunhurst).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Werner, 3B (Columbia): 3-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Charles, DH (Columbia): 1-for-5, 2 RBI

Leyton, RF (Columbia): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Chirinos, DH (Carolina): 3-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB

Avina, LF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB

Areinamo, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Anglin (Columbia): 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Herrera, E (BS, 1) (Columbia): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

Fitzpatrick (Carolina): 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Costello (W, 8-3) (Carolina): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

Fireflies 1st (Fireflies 2, Mudcats 0) -- Daniel Vazquez doubles to left field. Carson Roccaforte walks. Daniel Vazquez steals 3rd base, Carson Roccaforte steals 2nd base. Spencer Nivens walks. Brett Squires struck out looking. Austin Charles singles to center field, Daniel Vazquez scores; Carson Roccaforte scores; Spencer Nivens to 2nd. Lizandro Rodriguez grounds into double play, Jadher Areinamo to Daniel Guilarte to Tayden Hall, Austin Charles out at 2nd, Lizandro Rodriguez out at 1st. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 5, Fireflies 2) -- Dylan O'Rae walks. Dylan O'Rae steals 2nd base. Daniel Guilarte singles to left-center field, Dylan O'Rae to 3rd. Tayden Hall strikes out swinging. Daniel Guilarte steals 2nd base, Dylan O'Rae steals home, Daniel Guilarte advances to 3rd on throwing error by Hayden Dunhurst. Jesus Chirinos walks. Luke Adams singles through the hole at shortstop, Daniel Guilarte scores; Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Luis Castillo lines out to Spencer Nivens. Jadher Areinamo singles to right-center field, Jesus Chirinos scores; Luke Adams to 2nd. Jace Avina doubles to right field, Luke Adams scores; Jadher Areinamo scores. Blayberg Diaz grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Brett Squires. (5 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Fireflies 2nd (Mudcats 5, Fireflies 3) -- Trevor Werner hits a home run to left field on a 3-2 pitch. Hayden Dunhurst strikes out swinging. Roger Leyton grounds out, Daniel Guilarte to Tayden Hall. Daniel Vazquez grounds out, Jesus Rivero to Daniel Guilarte to Tayden Hall. (1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Fireflies 7th (Mudcats 5, Fireflies 4) -- Trevor Werner doubles to right-center field. Hayden Dunhurst flies out to Dylan O'Rae. Roger Leyton doubles to right field, Trevor Werner scores. Daniel Vazquez struck out looking. Carson Roccaforte walks. Spencer Nivens lines out to Dylan O'Rae. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Fireflies 9th (Fireflies 6, Mudcats 5) -- Pitcher Change: Yerlin Rodriguez replaces Brian Fitzpatrick. Trevor Werner singles to left-center field. Hayden Dunhurst walks, Trevor Werner to 2nd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Omar Hernandez replaces Hayden Dunhurst. Trevor Werner caught stealing 3rd base, Blayberg Diaz to Luke Adams, Omar Hernandez to 2nd. Roger Leyton singles up the middle, Omar Hernandez scores. Daniel Vazquez singles to left-center field, Roger Leyton to 3rd. Carson Roccaforte struck out looking, Roger Leyton scores; Daniel Vazquez to 3rd; Daniel Vazquez steals 2nd base, Roger Leyton scores; throwing error by Blayberg Diaz. Spencer Nivens lines out to Reidy Mercado. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Fireflies 6, Mudcats 6) -- Omar Hernandez remains in the game as the catcher. Jesus Chirinos hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch. Luke Adams struck out looking. Reidy Mercado strikes out swinging. Jadher Areinamo strikes out swinging. (1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 10th (Mudcats 7, Fireflies 6) -- Pitcher Change: Samuel Valerio replaces Eduardo Herrera. Jadher Areinamo starts inning at 2nd base. Jace Avina flies out to Carson Roccaforte. Wild pitch by Samuel Valerio, Jadher Areinamo to 3rd. Blayberg Diaz strikes out swinging, Omar Hernandez to Brett Squires. (1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 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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Carolina League Stories from August 23, 2023


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