Nationals Squander Comeback Chances, Lose 6-4 At Carolina

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CarL Fredericksburg Nationals

Nationals Squander Comeback Chances, Lose 6-4 At Carolina

April 5, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fredericksburg Nationals News Release


ZEBULON, NC - The Fredericksburg Nationals (0-2) again could not rally out of an early hole, losing 6-4 on the road against the Carolina Mudcats (2-0) who claimed the series victory with back-to-back wins.

For the second consecutive night, the Mudcats were the ones to start the scoring at Five County Stadium. A two-run home run kicked off Opening Night on Friday for Carolina but the Mudcat bats stacked hits together against FredNats' starter Xander Meckley to get ahead Saturday. Shortstop Luis Peña deposited a one-out double high and deep off the center field wall and was brought in with two outs when Milwaukee's 8th-ranked prospect (MLB Pipeline) Eric Bitonti spun a double of his own down the right field line. A few pitches later, he'd score on third baseman Filippo Di Turi's comebacker single to make it 2-0 Carolina.

Meckley would bear down from there, striking out six Mudcat hitters through the first three innings including striking out the side in the bottom of the third to keep it 2-0. His counterpart, Carolina's Bryce Meccage outdueled him, however. Milwaukee's 16th-best prospect (Pipeline) dazzled in his first professional outing, holding the FredNats hitless through 3.2 IP. After allowing a one-out walk in the first inning, Meccage retired 10 straight Nationals hitters before being lifted at 45 pitches with two outs in the fourth.

Meckley was also chased from the game in the fourth inning after walking the first two batters and allowing a one-out single to DH Braylon Payne leading off the third time through the order. Payne's single was the only hit Meckley allowed after the first inning but the five walks he allowed were his undoing - The Nationals would walk eight total. After Adam Bloebaum allowed an inherited runner to score, Meckley's line finished with four earned runs allowed in 3.1 IP.

Fredericksburg finally got on the board in the fifth following a Nick Peoples squibbed single, a Carlos Tavares stroked double to right and a wild pitch from Carolina reliever Garrett Hodges to set the score at 4-1. The FredNats would further get to Hodges, as Yoander Rivero walked and leadoff man Cristhian Vaquero slapped a single up the middle to score Tavares. Rivero would later score on a balk from Carolina's third pitcher, Anfernny Reyes. At the end of five, Fredericksburg was down just 4-3.

Flash forward to the eighth inning and the FredNats had a chance to tie or take the lead. The frame started with two straight singles from Kevin Bazzell and Roismar Quintana with nobody out. Then, third baseman Jorgelys Mota speared one through the right side but Bazzell hesitated rounding third and was thrown out by Carolina right fielder Reece Walding to keep the Mudcats in front. Carolina's Tanner Gillis got Randal Diaz to pop out and then struck out Nick Peoples to finish the inning, holding the FredNats off the board despite allowing three straight hits to start it.

Carolina added two insurance runs immediately after in the bottom of the eighth inning off of Erick Mejia to extend the lead. The FredNats scored in the ninth after an error, a single and a wild pitch but, with the tying run on base, Bazzell grounded into a game-ending double play, squandering their final comeback chance. Meckley (0-1) got the loss, Gillis held on for the win and Miles Langhorne, who rolled the double play, earned the save (1).

In the third and final game Sunday, Fredericksburg sends Yoel Tejeda Jr. (0-0, 0.00) to the mound for a 1:00 start.

#FREDNATS

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