Mudcats Claim Series Against Fayetteville

May 18, 2025

Carolina Mudcats 9 - Fayetteville Woodpeckers 5

Box Score

ZEBULON, N.C. - The Carolina Mudcats took the lead in the second inning and never trailed again as they took the series from the Fayetteville Woodpeckers with a 9-5 victory on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

Carolina (26-12) trailed 2-0 in the second inning but took advantage of free offense to take the lead. With two out in the inning Woodpeckers starter Raimy Rodriguez (L, 1-2) walked back-to-back batters ahead of Eric Martinez who hooked a ball off the pole in right field to give the Mudcats a 3-2 lead.

The Mudcats would add to the lead in the third scoring a pair of runs thanks to a balk and a single from Filippo Di Turi for a 5-2 advantage.

Fayetteville (19-20) responded with a pair of solo home runs in the fourth to make it a one-run game at 5-4.

The Mudcats had an answer, in the bottom of the fourth, Luis Pena cranked a two-run home run, his second of the series, over the wall in left for a 7-4 lead.

Jesus Flores (W, 2-1) would make the lead hold up retiring the first nine men he faced out of the bullpen, giving up just one run and striking out six.

Carolina added a run in the eighth on a Demetrio Nadal single for the 9-5 final.

With the victory the Mudcats have won six of their first seven series and continue to sport the best record in the Carolina League.

The Mudcats hit the road for a six-game series against the Fredericksburg Nationals beginning Tuesday with first pitch set for 6:35 P.M. Carolina returns to Five County Stadium to host the Salem Red Sox on Tuesday, May 27 at 6:30.