FredNats Secure Series-Opening Win at Carolina Tuesday
July 8, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fredericksburg Nationals News Release
ZEBULON, N.C. - The Fredericksburg Nationals (10-6, 40-41) weathered an early storm for a 5-4 comeback win in their series opener against the Carolina Mudcats (10-5, 46-33), on the road Tuesday at Five County Stadium.
The Mudcats jumped on FredNat pitching early, knocking Xander Meckley out of the game in the first inning after a trio of walks and an error in the field. Without a hit, Carolina grabbed a 2-0 lead in the game's first frame. With Meckley out, Pablo Aldonis and the FredNat bullpen also had to enter the game way earlier than expected.
Aldonis got the final out of the first inning and set down the side in the second. In the third, his bats gave him a lead. Kevin Bazzell and Randal Diaz started the inning with singles off of Wande Torres and Jorgelys Mota rifled a two-RBI single to score Diaz and Francesco Barbieri with two outs and put the FredNats ahead 3-2.
Fredericksburg added on in the fifth inning with a bunt single from Barbieri and a sacrifice fly from Cristhian Vaquero, but Braylon Payne answered with a solo home run for Carolina off of Ryan Minckler. Both teams traded single runs in the seventh inning, culminating in a 5-4 FredNat advantage. Kevin Dowdell and Bazzell ended the seventh inning with a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play to keep Fredericksburg in front.
Euri Montero struck out the side for the FredNats in the eighth inning and went back out for the ninth, locking down the win with another caught stealing for Bazzell and a swinging strikeout to end it. In total, Aldonis, Minckler, Dowdell and Montero covered 8.2 innings, allowing just five hits and two runs. The four relievers struck out a combined 11 Mudcats, while walking just four.
Aldonis (1-0) got the win, as Torres (1-6) got the save and Montero (1) earned the save. In game two on Wednesday, the FredNats will hand the ball to Davian Garcia (4-2, 2.77) in a 6:30 start.
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