Mendez and Valenzuela Combine for Four Hits, Two Runs and Two RBI
July 18, 2016 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
ZEBULON, NC - Isaias Tejeda hit a solo home run, Luis Valenzuela had a double and a triple, and Sal Giardina ran his hitting streak to a career high 10 straight games, but the Mudcats lost to the Frederick Keys 10-3 on Monday night at Five County Stadium.
Caleb Beech started for Carolina (38-56, 9-15) and took the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits over five and 1/3 innings pitched. Beech (2-3, 4.60) pitched into the fifth, but left with two men on and the Mudcats trailing 4-1. Michael O'Neal followed and allowed an inherited runner to score as the Keys (50-44, 14-10) went up 5-1.
Frederick's lead off man Erick Salcedo was 4-for-6 with two runs and two RBI in the Keys victory. Aderlin Rodriguez also drove in two and was 3-for-4 with two and Cam Kneeland was 2-for-4 with a RBI. D. J. Stewart was 1-for-6, but drove in the game's first run in the third and broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth with a RBI groundout.
Lucas Long started for the Keys and held Carolina to two runs and seven hits while pitching into the sixth inning. Long (5-5, 4.70) allowed a run in the third and one in the sixth but left the game with the Keys leading 7-2.
Keith Curcio had a two-out RBI double in the third and was 1-for-5 while running his current hitting streak to six straight games. Tejeda's home run came in the sixth off Long and was his fourth of the season. Braxton Davidson (1-for-3, RBI) drove in the final Carolina run with a RBI double (scoring Erison Mendez) in the seventh against reliever Jeff Beliveau (2.1 IP, 2 H,1 R, 3 SO). Mendez was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI in the Carolina loss
O'Neal pitched the end of the fifth and worked the sixth after taking over for Beech in Monday's game. The Keys scored twice against him in the sixth and O'Neal finished with two runs and three hits allowed over one and 2/3 innings.
Zack Bird (2.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO) pitched a scoreless seventh and scoreless eighth before walking three and allowing three runs in the ninth. He left the nine with two men on base in the ninth, but Carlos Salazar (0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) allowed both to score and the Keys took their 10-3 lead. Bird and Salazar combined to walk four and allow three runs on one hit in the ninth.
The Frederick victory put the Keys up 2-1 in the four game set. The series finale is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. at Five County Stadium. Monday's game was delayed in the fourth after home plate umpire Brock Ballou left with an injury. Umpire Cody Clark replaced Ballou behind the plate before the fifth and worked solo throughout the remainder of the game.
Carolina Mudcats games air over the radio on The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and are streamed online at www.carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio and the TuneIn Radio app. All home games are additionally streamed live in high definition video and live game audio via MiLB.tv.
Tickets to all Carolina Mudcats games are currently available by contacting a front office representative at (919) 269-CATS (2287) or by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com.
The Carolina Mudcats are the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. First established in 1991, the two-time Southern League Champion Carolina Mudcats are in their 26th consecutive season of baseball at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C.
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