Early Deficit Too Much in 8-5 Loss to Fireflies
August 22, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
ZEBULON, N.C. - Jadher Areinamo doubled twice and scored three runs, Dylan O'Rae also totaled two doubles and Tayden Hall extended his hitting streak to 11 consecutive games, but starting pitcher Alexander Vallecillo allowed six runs in the first as the Carolina Mudcats lost 8-5 to the Columbia Fireflies on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium.
The Fireflies (24-25, 59-55) scored seven runs in the first and once more in the third while taking an 8-0 lead in the third in Tuesday's series opening game. The Mudcats (29-20, 62-50) came back with a run in the last of the third and scored five unanswered runs the rest of the way, but fell short in their comeback in the 8-5 loss.
Vallecillo (L, 2-4) walked three straight to start the game before hitting a batter to force in the game's first run. He then struck out a batter before giving up a two-run double to Lizandro Rodriguez and a RBI single to Omar Hernandez.
Trevor Werner then greeted newly inserted Carolina reliever Gerson Calzadilla with a three-run homer to lift the Fireflies to a 7-0 first inning. Werner also homered in the third against Calzadilla while starting the game 2-for-2 and putting his club up 8-0.
Calzadilla pitched through four innings in his relief outing before leaving with an apparent injury while in a 1-0 count against Werner in the fifth. Jose Chavez followed and went on to strike out Werner and go through two and 2/3 scoreless innings. Tyler Wehrle followed and worked a scoreless eighth and ninth while turning in a scoreless appearance.
The Mudcats were down 8-0 in the third before getting a run back when Areinamo doubled and scored on a RBI double from O'Rae. They then took the deficit from 8-1 to 8-2 in the fifth when Areinamo led off the inning with a single before Luke Adams ground out. Luis Castillo cut it to 8-3 in the seventh with a two-out single and back-to-back two-out hits in the eighth from Areinamo and Gregory Barrios made it 8-5.
Carolina had a chance to tie it in the eighth as they had Adams up with Areinamo at third and Barrios at second, but reliever Nicholas Regalado - despite falling behind 3-0 - struck out Adams to end the eighth. Regalado (S, 1) then worked a scoreless ninth while earning his first save.
Henry Williams started and pitched through the fifth with two run on five hits while earning the victory for the Fireflies. Chazz Martinez followed and allowed a run on four hits over two innings. Reliever Marcus Olivarez later came in for the eighth, but retired just two batters while allowing two runs and two hits before leaving the game. Regalado then followed to finish the game.
Despite losing their third straight game, the first-place Mudcats remained atop the Carolina League North Second Half standings by 2.0 games over the Lynchburg Hillcats. Lynchburg was shutout earlier in the night by Delmarva 8-0. The Fredericksburg Nationals, however, did win their game in Salem, 6-2, to move within 3.5 games of Carolina for first in the second half race.
Carolina's series with Columbia continues on Wednesday night at Five County Stadium with RHP Jesus Rivero starting for the Mudcats on Winning Wednesday presented by Winslow Homes.
HOME RUNS:
Columbia: Werner 2 (2, 1st inning off Calzadilla, 2 on, 1 out, 3rd inning off Calzadilla, 0 on, 1 out).
TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Werner, DH (Columbia): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI
Rodriguez, L, 2B (Columbia): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Areinamo, 2B (Carolina): 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI
O'Rae, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Hall, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-5
TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Williams (W, 2-0) (Columbia): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
Martinez (Columbia): 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Regalado (S, 1) (Columbia): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO
Calzadilla (Carolina): 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Chavez, J (Carolina): 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Wehrle (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
SCORING:
Fireflies 1st (Fireflies 7, Mudcats 0) -- Daniel Vazquez walks. Carson Roccaforte walks, Daniel Vazquez to 2nd. Spencer Nivens walks, Daniel Vazquez to 3rd; Carson Roccaforte to 2nd. Brett Squires hit by pitch, Daniel Vazquez scores; Carson Roccaforte to 3rd; Spencer Nivens to 2nd. Austin Charles strikes out swinging. Lizandro Rodriguez doubles to right-center field, Carson Roccaforte scores; Spencer Nivens scores; Brett Squires to 3rd. Omar Hernandez singles to left-center field, Brett Squires scores; Lizandro Rodriguez to 3rd; Omar Hernandez to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Gerson Calzadilla replaces Alexander Vallecillo. Trevor Werner hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-2 pitch, Lizandro Rodriguez scores; Omar Hernandez scores. Jared Dickey singles to shallow right field. Daniel Vazquez strikes out swinging. Carson Roccaforte grounds out, Jadher Areinamo to Tayden Hall. (7 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Fireflies 3rd (Fireflies 8, Mudcats 0) -- Omar Hernandez grounds out, Tayden Hall to Gerson Calzadilla. Trevor Werner hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-2 pitch. Jared Dickey grounds out, Jadher Areinamo to Tayden Hall. Daniel Vazquez singles to center field. Carson Roccaforte grounds into a force out, fielded by Gregory Barrios, Daniel Vazquez out at 2nd. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 3rd (Fireflies 8, Mudcats 1) -- Jadher Areinamo doubles through the hole at shortstop. Gregory Barrios pops out to Lizandro Rodriguez. Dylan O'Rae doubles to left field, Jadher Areinamo scores. Luke Adams flies out to Jared Dickey. Luis Castillo strikes out swinging. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 5th (Fireflies 8, Mudcats 2) -- Jadher Areinamo singles to deep shortstop. Gregory Barrios struck out looking. Dylan O'Rae doubles to left-center field, Jadher Areinamo to 3rd. Luke Adams grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Brett Squires, Jadher Areinamo scores. Luis Castillo flies out to Spencer Nivens. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 7th (Fireflies 8, Mudcats 3) -- Gregory Barrios flies out to Spencer Nivens. Dylan O'Rae grounds out, Austin Charles to Brett Squires. Luke Adams hits a ground rule double to left field. Luis Castillo singles through the hole at shortstop, Luke Adams scores; Luis Castillo advances to 2nd on throwing error by Spencer Nivens. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Brett Squires. (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 8th (Fireflies 8, Mudcats 5) -- Pitcher Change: Marcus Olivarez replaces Chazz Martinez. Tayden Hall grounds out, Lizandro Rodriguez to Brett Squires. Jose Sibrian walks. Jace Avina strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by Marcus Olivarez, Jose Sibrian to 2nd. Jadher Areinamo doubles to left-center field, Jose Sibrian scores. Gregory Barrios singles to center field, Jadher Areinamo scores. Dylan O'Rae walks, Gregory Barrios to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Nicholas Regalado replaces Marcus Olivarez. Wild pitch by Nicholas Regalado, Gregory Barrios to 3rd; Dylan O'Rae to 2nd. Luke Adams struck out looking. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 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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