Carolina Crushes Cannon Ballers 14-2

May 16, 2023 – Carolina League (CarL) – Carolina Mudcats News Release

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Luis Lara and Jadher Areinamo both went 4-for-5 with three runs, Luke Adams drove in a career-high four runs and Jesus Parra went 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBI as the Carolina Mudcats throttled the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 14-2 on Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis, NC. Lara also homered and Parra fell a home run shy of the cycle in Carolina’s series opening victory in Kannapolis.

The Mudcats (19-13) set the tone early with a five run first well before they rallied for nine more runs across the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. In all, the Carolina offense totaled a season-high 14 runs on a season-best 20 hits in Tuesday’s game in Kannapolis (18-14).

Carolina’s five run first included two-run singles from both Areinamo and Adams, as well as a RBI triple from Parra. The Mudcats led 5-0 after the first but the Cannon Ballers would go on to score once in the second and once more in the fifth to cut it to 5-2. The lone Cannon Ballers run in the fifth came after a :51 minute rain delay.

Leading 5-2 through the sixth, the Mudcats went on to add one more run in the seventh with a RBI single from Adams. The Mudcats were up 6-2 in the seventh before they rallied for four more in the eighth and ninth innings. Blayberg Diaz started the eighth inning rally with a RBI single and three bases loaded walks later in the inning would bring in the next three runs. The ninth then included a RBI double from Parra, a Diaz RBI double and Lara’s home run. The home run was Lara’s first of the season.

Yujanyer Herrera started and struck out three and allowed just one unearned run on one hit while pitching through four innings in his first appearance back from the injured list. Reliever Shane Smith earned the win while pitching the fifth and sixth with just one run allowed and five strikeouts. Relievers Nick Merkel and Tanner Shears took it the rest of the way with Merkel working a scoreless seventh and eighth and Shears striking out three in a scoreless ninth.

The series continues on Wednesday with a morning game beginning at 11:00 a.m. The Mudcats will send RHP Will Rudy to the mound for the start in Wednesday’s game.

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: HR: Lara (1, 9th inning off Krogman, 1 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS – BATTERS:

Lara, CF (Carolina): 4-for-5, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Areinamo, 3B (Carolina): 4-for-5, 3 R, 1 RBI

Adams, 1B (Carolina): 2-for-5, 1 R, 4 RBI

Parra, DH (Carolina):…