Wood Ducks end homestand with DH sweep of Mudcats

KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — The Down East Wood Ducks finished off their latest homestand with a doubleheader win over the Carolina Mudcats on Sunday at Grainger Stadium.

The Wood Ducks rallied for a run in the ninth inning to win 3-2 in the first game. In the second game, a five-run sixth helped the Wood Ducks win 7-2.

The Wood Ducks are heading to Charleston, SC, for a six-day series with the River Dogs starting Tuesday. Below is a summary of Sunday’s two games from Maddy Meehan of the Down East Wood Ducks

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GAME 1
The Down East Wood Ducks hosted the Carolina Mudcats for family funday and game 1 of a doubleheader. In the top of the 1st inning, the Mudcats started with a groundout by Daniel Guilarte to shortstop Echedry Vargas who threw to first baseman Arturo Disla for the first out. The Mudcats’ second batter Juan Baez hit a single towards second base. Then Luis Castillo strikes out followed by a pop out from Reece Walling to leave Baez stranded. In the bottom of the 1st the Wood Ducks were three up and three down with two strikeouts and a groundout.

In the top of the 2nd, the Mudcats were three up and three down with two strikeouts and a groundout. The bottom of the 2nd started with Disla walking then Marcus Smith striking out. Disla steals second base and is stranded there as Erik Alvarez strikes out to end the inning. The top of the 3rd was quick for the Mudcats with a groundout and then two strikeouts. The bottom of 3rd had a popout, lineout, and strikeout for the Wood Ducks offense.

Juan Baez started the top of the 4th for the Mudcats with a single to center field. Luis Castillo then groundout but allows Baez to get to second base. Baez was left there as the next two batters struck out and ground out. The bottom of the 4th inning starts with Gleider Figuereo walking and then Jesus Lopez singling to right field getting Figuereo to third base. After a mound visit by the Mudcats, Brock hits a single to right field allowing Figuereo to score the first run of the game, 0-1. In the top of the 5th the Wood Ducks gave up two walks and then switched pitchers as Kai Wynyard came in for Alejandro Rosario. Reidy Mercado singles off a blunt ball, to load the bases. Victor Diaz hits a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Balyberg Diaz to score and tie the game 1-1. With a scoreless 6th and 7th inning the game goes into extras.

In the top of the 8th the Wood Ducks changed pitchers as Victor Simeon came in for Josh Trentadue. Yoshwar Garcia grounds out but brings home Baez to put the Mudcats up by 1, 2-1. The Wood Ducks immediately answered back in the bottom of the 8th with Tommy Specht scoring off of a single by Chandler Pollard.

The top of the ninth is scoreless for the Mudcats, a strikeout, lineout, and fielder’s choice out. The Wood Ducks won the game in the bottom of the 9th with Smith hitting a sac fly to bring home Wady Mendez, 2-3.

GAME 2
The Down East Wood Ducks hosted the Carolina Mudcats for family funday and game 2 of a doubleheader. The top of the 1st was three up and three down for the Mudcats. In the bottom of the 1st the Wood Ducks get Brock and Disla on base but leave them there. To begin the top of the 2nd Baez strikes out followed by Castillo walks and then steals 2nd base. A wild pitch by Kolton Curtis, Castillo gets on third base. After a mound meeting the Wood Ducks close out the inning with a pop-out and a strike. In the bottom of the 2nd the Wood Ducks start with a double by Specht, followed by a flyout by Marcos Torres putting Specht on third. Marco Soto grounds out bringing Specht home, 0-1.

In the top of the 3rd inning Garcia walks, then Yophrey Rodriguez hits a single to bring Garcia home and tie the game 1-1. The Wood Ducks close out the inning with a strikeout. The Wood Ducks are three up and three down in the bottom of the 3rd inning. The 4th inning is scoreless for both teams’ strikeouts, popouts and a groundout.

The Wood Ducks switch pitchers in the top of the 5th as Wilian Bormie comes in for Kolton Curtis. Curtis sees three batters and gets a strikeout, groundout, and a flyout. In the top of the 5th Soto walks and then steals second base. The Mudcats switch pitchers as Jeison Pena replaces Josh Timmerman. Wady then hits a single to get Soto on third base. Becker Barroso hits a sacrifice fly ball to left field bringing home Soto, 1-2. The Mudcats tied it back up in the top of the 6th with a double from Garcia to bring home Castillo, 2-2.

The Wood Ducks bats got hot in the bottom of the 6th inning with 5 runs to make the score 2-7. Torres hit a triple to allow Specht to score. The Mudcats bring in Blake Whiting at pitcher. Soto walks, putting him at first and Torres on third. Pollard was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Mendez walks which allows Torres to score, 2-4. Barroso hits a single which brings Soto home, 2-5. Brock grounds into a forceout which allows Pollard to score, 2-6. Disla hits a double allowing Barroso to score, 2-7.

In the top of the 7th, the Mudcats get one hit by Garcia but leave him on base. The Wood Ducks win the game 2-7 with eight hits and zero errors. The Mudcats had six hits and zero errors.

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