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CarL Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Weaver's Walk-Off Caps off Comeback against the Red Sox

July 28, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - Timely batting and effective pitching spread out across the entire ballgame helped push the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers ahead in extra innings Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark with the Ballers winning 8-7 in 10 innings over the Salem Red Sox.

RHP Jared Kelley got the start for Kannapolis (24-49) on the mound, making his first start at home since mid-May. The No.1 overall prospect in the White Sox organization looked efficient on the hill, going three innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out three and walking one. RHP Jesus Valles entered in relief in the fourth, providing the sharpest outing of the night for the Ballers. The former Pirates farmhand delivered five frames of work, walking none and striking out four, while allowing three hits and one run.

Salem (42-31) opened the scoring in the top of the first on a Nick Decker RBI single into left field, scoring Matthew Lugo to give the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead.

Alex Erro extended the Salem advantage to 2-0 in the top of the second on an RBI single of his own, bringing Ceddanne Rafaela across the plate.

LHP Shane Drohan began the night on the bump for the Red Sox, tossing five perfect frames and striking out four Ballers. RHP Robert Kwiatkowski relieved Drohan in the sixth, unable to keep the no-no going in his 1.1 innings of work, allowing three runs on three hits, walking two and unable to accumulate any strikeouts.

Kannapolis could not find the scoreboard or the hit column until the bottom of the sixth inning due to a high-quality effort from Drohan. Samil Polanco undid all the hard work by Salem's pitchers with a two-run RBI single to tie the ballgame at 2-2.

Harvin Mendoza put the Ballers ahead in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double that scored Luis Mieses and gave Kannapolis a 3-2 lead.

The Red Sox fought their way back in the top of the eighth, knotting the ballgame again with a Dean Miller solo shot, evening the game at 3-3.

Mieses' three RBIs in his stat line all came with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the eighth. The outfielder from the Dominican Republic crushed a line drive deep into right field, pulling the Ballers ahead 6-3.

RHP Yoelvin Silven entered in the ninth to close the game out but was unable to earn the save. Nick Northcut doubled home Decker to close the gap to 6-4. The lead changed hands again two batters later on a Dean Miller three-run shot to left field, putting the Red Sox ahead 7-6 late in the game.

Chase Krogman extended the ballgame and forced extra innings with a solo shot to right field. Krogman's eighth homer of the season bended around the right field foul pole to knot the ballgame at 7-7.

RHP Jordan Mikel (W, 3-2) kept Salem out of the scoring column in the tenth, striking out two Red Sox batters and giving Kannapolis momentum headed into the bottom of the frame.

After Bryan Ramos was placed at second and an intentional walk issued to Mendoza that allowed him to reach first, a wild pitch by Salem's RHP Devon Roedahl (L, 2-2) allowed both runners to advance. Caberea Weaver stepped into the batter's box on an 0-2 count and the Ballers one strike away from an 11th inning. However, the Snellville, Georgia native sealed the victory with a groundball deep into the hole at shortstop, scoring Ramos from third.

The Cannon Ballers will look to keep the good times going in the second of six matchups on Wednesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark against the Salem Red Sox. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. RHP Drew Dalquist (1-6, 5.79 ERA) will get the start for Kannapolis on the mound, with RHP Bradley Blalock (1-5, 5.44 ERA) beginning the night for the Red Sox.

Tickets can be purchased for any remaining home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark.

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Carolina League Stories from July 28, 2021


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