The Carolina Mudcats defeated the Salem Red Sox 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader at Five County Stadium Wednesday night.
In the bottom of the second, the Mudcats (33-50, 4-9) were able to take advantage of Trey Ball’s wildness to score three runs. Ball (5-4) walked five batters in the frame, including four in a row with two outs, the last two with the bases loaded to assist Carolina in opening a 3-0 lead.
The Mudcats were able to extend the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Ball allowed a walk and a hit to open the frame before being removed for Anyelo Leclerc. The Salem (50-31, 7-5) reliever forced in two runs with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and an RBI single, pushing the deficit to 5-0.
Ball gave up five runs for the second straight starting, lasting just three innings plus two hitters. He yielded only three hits, but walked a career-high seven while striking out two.
The Red Sox struck back against Carolina starter Caleb Beech (2-2) in the sixth. Wendell Rijo and Rafael Devers each singled before a Nick Longhi single plated Rijo to cut the deficit to 5-1. Salem stranded the bases loaded in the inning, when reliever Phil Pfeifer struck out Danny Mars.
Pfeifer issued a pair of two-out walks to Joseph Monge and Rijo in the seventh, but struck out Devers to pick up his first save with the Mudcats.
Game two of the doubleheader will feature Bobby Poyner (0-0, 4.42) taking the mound for the Red Sox, and Zack Bird (2-1, 7.47) pitching for the Mudcats. Follow along with the action on the Salem Red Sox Baseball Network.
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Chris Graham
