Juan Baez throws a ball about 5ft above Bitonti's head allowing the leadoff runner to reach 2B. Just cannot be making mistakes like that. Hardin will need to dig deep here to keep that runner stranded.
Castillo and Diaz the two new starters for Carolina in Game 2 tonight have gone 0-6 with 4 strikeouts. Nate Stanley's moves in this series have not paid off to this point. We head to the 8th tied 2-2.
Sykora's season line against the Mudcats up to 20 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 27 SO, 1 HBP. Just absolutely dominating this Mudcats lineup and looks like he's on pace to go 6 innings.
I'll be honest I was also a bit surprised they weren't playing the infield in with a runner on 3rd and 1 out in the 1st inning. They got a ground ball hit right at Guilarte. Infield in and there's probably a play at the plate there.
It's really a shame because the Mudcats pitching has looked really good and the difference in this game is because of a wild pitch by Rodriguez than Diaz blocked but then couldn't find despite being about 2 to 4 feet to his left.
Skyora with his first 1-2-3 innings of the game. Absolutely mowed down Yophery who had no chance. He's up to 19 scoreless on the year against the Mudcats
Guilarte strikes out as well. Sykora with 5 strikeouts through 2 innings. He has 40 pitches through 2 innings though which is the only potential silver lining.
Sorry I forgot Dinges singled before the Di Turi K. So 1 ball in play through 5 batters. Luis Castillo also just struck out. So 1 ball in play in the first 6 batters.
Just off is usually close enough for low minors umps to call strike 3. Rodriguez strike 3 to end the top half of the 1st inning looked further off that side of the plate than the Payne ball 3.
Mudcats don't put a single ball in play in the 1st against Sykora. Payne BB then picked off, Yophery strikeout, Baez HBP, Bitonti strikeout (swung 3 times and whiffed all 3 times)
Braylon Payne draws a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the 1st. I have no clue how he wasn't rung up on the 2-2 pitch. Hard to tell with minor league camera angles but looked like a pretty good pitch to me.