Mudcats Walk off with Walks to Sweep
Published on September 4, 2016 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
ZEBULON, N.C. - Jordan Stephens submitted another dynamite outing for Winston-Salem, but Carolina coaxed back-to-back bases-loaded walks to conclude a three-run seventh inning in a 3-2 walk-off victory in Sunday's doubleheader finale at Five County Stadium.
After working around two men in scoring position in the sixth, Jacob Morris (2-4) could not escape a largely self-induced jam in the final frame of regulation. Carolina (21-46, 50-87) loaded the bases with nobody out thanks to a hit by pitch, single and walk, and Keith Curcio pulled the Mudcats within a run with a single.
Morris induced a Dylan Moore foul out, but he walked Jordan Edgerton on five pitches to deadlock the contest. Braxton Davidson followed with a walk on a full count, with the final pitch just a sliver off the outside corner, to send Winston-Salem (28-39, 56-81) to its 10th walk-off loss of the season.
This late surge cost Stephens a win in his brilliant 2016 capper. The fifth-round pick from last year's MLB Draft whiffed eight and scattered four hits over five shutout innings. In his final three outings, Stephens surrendered just two runs on nine hits in 15 innings, during which he struck out 29.
Stephens finishes the 2016 season with 155 strikeouts, the most by a Winston-Salem pitcher in the Dash era (2009-present). His total is the highest by a Carolina Leaguer since Lynchburg's Aaron Northcraft fanned 160 in 2012.
The Dash's only runs came in the first inning, when Mason Robbins delivered an RBI single and scored with two down on a wild pitch. Robbins enters the final day of the regular season with a .316 average, eight points better than teammate Nick Basto for the CL's top mark.
However, Mudcats starter Ryan Lawlor bounced back from a rocky first to spin three straight perfect innings before Raymar Navarro (5-3) stranded four Dash runners in three scoreless frames.
Winston-Salem will attempt to avoid a sweep in the finale of the 2016 season, which takes place Monday at noon from Zebulon. Southpaw Tanner Banks (6-3, 4.26 ERA) toes the rubber for the Dash against right-hander Wes Parsons (0-2, 4.50 ERA). Coverage begins at 11:45 a.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn Radio App.
Carolina League Stories from September 4, 2016
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