Mudcats Finish Sweep of Down East with 10-4 Win
August 30, 2018 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
ZEBULON, N.C. - Nick Franklin fell a single shy of the cycle, Nick Roscetti scored three runs, Demi Orimoloye hit a solo home run and Bowden Francis earned his second straight win as the Mudcats finished off a four game sweep of the Wood Ducks 10-4 on Thursday night at Five County Stadium.
The victory sealed a four game sweep for the Mudcats (64-70, 30-34) and was their fourth straight win in their final home stand of the season. The series sweep was just Carolina's second of the season; their last successful sweep came in May between May 18 and May 20 at Buies Creek. The home win also gave Carolina a 12-11 in the overall season series between the two teams.
Franklin led the way for Carolina after going 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBI. The rehabbing big leaguer hit a two-run triple in the third, a two-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the eighth. Roscetti also scored three times and went 2-for-3 with a two-run double in the game.
Carolina originally trailed 2-0 after the Wood Ducks (58-78, 23-43) scored twice in the first, but things changed in a hurry when Carolina rallied for four runs in the third and four more runs in the fourth while taking an 8-2 lead.
Nathan Rodriguez sparked Carolina's four run frame with a double to right-center off starter Justin Topa. Roscetti then reached on an in-field single and Franklin then drove in both runners with a two-run triple to left. Franklin's triple was a fly ball that soared over the head of outfielder LeDarious Clark after he lost sight of the ball in the twilight sky.
Franklin's triple tied the game at 2-2 and a sacrifice fly moments later from Dillon Thomas would then give Carolina its first lead at 3-2. Orimoloye then capped the four run inning with a solo home run to straightaway left to put Carolina up 4-2. The home run was his seventh of the season and ran his current hitting streak to 10 straight games.
The Mudcats led 4-2 after the third, but went on to rally for four more runs in the fourth while going taking an 8-2 lead in the series finale. Topa (0-1, 19.64) started the frame with a strikeout, but then gave up a hit to Trever Morrison before walking Rodriguez to put two men on for Roscetti. Carolina's second baseman then ripped a two-run double to left to extend the lead to 6-2. Franklin then followed with a two-run home run to right, putting Carolina up 8-2 in the game.
Topa went on to face just one more batter following Franklin's home run and ended up leaving the game after striking out Thomas. In all, Topa allowed eight runs on seven hits over three and 2/3 innings pitched. He also walked one and struck out four.
Blake Bass relieved Topa in the fourth and went on to pitch through two and 1/3 innings with two runs allowed on two hits. He also walked two and struck out two. Jairo Beras finished the game for Down East and pitched through two scoreless frames with just one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
The Wood Ducks eventually came back with runs in the sixth and seventh against Francis (2-2, 4.88) and reliever Cody Beckman, but the Mudcats rallied for two in the sixth and led 10-4 after seven. Thomas had a RBI double in the sixth and Hummel had a sacrifice fly.
Francis allowed a couple of hits and one run in the sixth before leaving the game. Beckman finished the sixth and also pitched the seventh while going through an inning and 1/3 with a run allowed on three hits. Rodrigo Benoit later finished the game and struck out three over two scoreless innings.
NOTES: Cooper Hummel went 0-for-1 but was hit by a pitch twice and had a RBI while raising his Carolina League leading on-base percentage to .391 for the season... Demi Orimoloye went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI while stretching his hitting streak to ten straight games...
UP NEXT: The Mudcats will continue their final home stand of the season with game one of a split four game versus the Buies Creek Astros at Five County Stadium on Friday night beginning at 7:00 p.m. The split series will feature two games at Five County Stadium on Friday and Saturday and then two games at Buies Creek on Sunday and Monday. Tickets are available by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com/tickets, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, the Big Dawg 98.5 FM and via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com. It will also stream live via video on MiLB.tv.
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