Carolina Eliminated from Playoffs with 5-4 Loss in 10th
September 6, 2022 – Carolina League (CarL) – Carolina Mudcats News Release
MYRTLE BEACH – Jesus Chirinos went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run with two-outs in the fifth and a game-tying RBI double with two-outs in the seventh, but the Carolina Mudcats had a one-run lead in the tenth slip away on a missed pop up with two outs in the tenth while falling 5-4 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Tuesday night at Pelicans Ballpark. The loss, combined with a victory by the Fredericksburg Nationals in Salem, officially eliminated the Mudcats from playoff contention.
With the game tied at 3-3 through nine, the Mudcats (33-28, 67-60) scored once in the tenth on a throwing error by catcher Moises Ballesteros that allowed Jace Avina to score the go-ahead run from third. Carolina’s 4-3 lead in the tenth was their first of the night, but would not last long as the Pelicans (29-32, 76-51) answered with two in the bottom side to tie and eventually walk off with the 5-4 victory. The tying run scored on a Parker Chavers sac fly off Pablo Garabitos, while the winning run scored moments later on a pop up that was dropped by Robert Moore on a ball hit to no-man’s land in shallow right.
The Mudcats were originally down 3-0 after the Pelicans scored a handful of runs off starter Arielbi Gonzalez with home runs from Juan Mora and Kevin Alcantara. Mora’s was a solo shot, while Alcantara’s was a two-run blast that also scored Parker Chavers after he singled between the two big flies.
Gonzalez started for the Mudcats and allowed just the two third inning home runs and three runs overall over five innings. He also gave up four hits, walked one and struck out one. Garabitos (6-1) followed with four scoreless frames before allowing the two unearned run runs in the tenth. Both of his runs allowed in the ninth were unearned, thus keeping his streaking of consecutive games and innings without allowing an earned run at six games and 24.2 innings pitched.
The 3-0 Myrtle Beach lead held through the fourth before the Mudcats came back with Chirinos’ two-out heroics in the fifth and seventh innings. He first pulled the Mudcats within one in the fifth with a two-out, two-run home run to right, before coming through in the clutch again in the seventh with a two-out game-tying RBI double.
Reliever Koen Moreno allowed the Chirinos home run in the fifth. Oliver Roque then gave up the game-tying double in the seventh. Both relievers went two innings each and did so in relief of starter Michael Arias. Arias went three scoreless with four walks and two strikeouts. Moreno allowed two runs, three hits, one walk and struck out four. Roque (BS, 1) suffered the blown save after losing the lead and finished with one run, one hit, one walk and one strikeout.
The Mudcats failed to reach the playoffs in 2022, thus stretching the club’s playoff drought to a Minor League Baseball worst 13 consecutive seasons.
HOME RUNS:
Carolina: Chirinos (12, 5th inning off Moreno, K, 1 on, 2 out).
Myrtle Beach: Mora, J (6, 3rd inning off Gonzalez, A, 0 on, 1 out); Alcantara (15, 3rd inning off Gonzalez, A, 1 on, 1 out).
TOP PERFORMERS – BATTERS:
Chirinos, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Alcantara, CF (Myrtle Beach): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Mora, J, 2B (Myrtle Beach): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Chavers, LF (Myrtle Beach): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI
TOP PERFORMERS – PITCHERS:
Gonzalez, A (Carolina): 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Garabitos (L, 6-1) (Carolina): 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO
Arias (Myrtle Beach): 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO
Roque (BS, 1) (Myrtle Beach): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Hernandez, A (W, 4-3) (Myrtle Beach): 2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
SCORING:
Pelicans 3rd (Pelicans 3, Mudcats 0) — Jacob Wetzel pops out to Jadher Areinamo. Juan Mora hits a home run to left field on a 0-2 pitch. Parker Chavers singles through the hole at second base. Kevin Alcantara hits a home run to left field on a 0-0 pitch, Parker Chavers scores. Pedro Ramirez flies out to Eduarqui Fernandez. Josue Huma flies out to Jace Avina.
(3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)
Mudcats 5th (Pelicans 3, Mudcats 2) — Robert Moore strikes out swinging. Eric Brown Jr. singles to left-center field. Eric Brown Jr. steals 2nd base. Wild pitch by Koen Moreno, Eric Brown Jr. to 3rd. Jace Avina struck out looking. Jesus Chirinos hits a home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch, Eric Brown Jr. scores. Luis Castillo flies out to Kevin Alcantara.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)
Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 3, Pelicans 3) — Pitcher Change: Oliver Roque replaces Koen Moreno. Robert Moore grounds out to Haydn McGeary. Eric Brown Jr. strikes out swinging. Jace Avina walks. Throwing error by Oliver Roque on the pickoff attempt. Jesus Chirinos doubles to right-center field, Jace Avina scores. Luis Castillo grounds out to Haydn McGeary.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)
Mudcats 10th (Mudcats 4, Pelicans 3) — Jace Avina starts inning at 2nd base. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging, Moises Ballesteros to Haydn McGeary. Wild pitch by Angel Hernandez, Jace Avina to 3rd. Luis Castillo hit by pitch. Eduarqui Fernandez pops out to Juan Mora, Jace Avina scores. Hedbert Perez pops out to Juan Mora.
(1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)
Pelicans 10th (Pelicans 5, Mudcats 4) — James Triantos starts inning at 2nd base. Jacob Wetzel grounds out to Jesus Chirinos, James Triantos to 3rd. Juan Mora singles to deep shortstop. Parker Chavers out on a sacrifice fly to Jace Avina, James Triantos scores; Juan Mora to 2nd. Kevin Alcantara reaches on fielding error by Robert Moore, Juan Mora scores.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)
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