April 18, 2004

Zebulon, NC - Jason Stokes crushed a three-run homer off the top of the scoreboard, driving in four on the afternoon, leading Carolina to a 5-4 victory over Birmingham on Sunday.

Stokes (3-3, 2R, 2B, 4RBI), who also singled and doubled, finished 3-for-3 with a walk as the Mudcats (6-4) avoided a three-game sweep by the Barons (5-4) and remained over .500.

Clint Sodowsky (W, 1-0, 2IP, 1H, 1ER, 1W, 1K) earned his first win since April, 2003, working two innings, allowing a game-tying home run to Aaron McNeal in the sixth.

A scoreless game was broken in the Mudcats fourth inning thanks to three doubles. Josh Wilson (1-3, 2R, 2B, W) began the inning with a popup to shallow centerfield lost in the sun by Nate Murphy. Two batters later, Stokes swatted a double into the left field corner for a 1-0 lead. Joe Dillon (2-3, 2-2B, RBI, W, CS) followed with an RBI-double.

The Barons scored an unearned run in the fifth against starter Peter Bauer (ND, 5IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 1W, 3K), driven home by a Ruddy Yan single past Dillon at third base. McNeal's home run in the sixth tied the game, his second of the series.

Wyatt Allen (L, 0-2) entered in the last of the sixth, but failed to retire any of four batters. Wilson walked, Josh Willingham (1-4, R, K) smoked a hit-and-run single to center ahead of Stokes' second home run of the year. Dillon followed with his second double of the game to chase Allen from the mound.

Jerrod Fuell (ND, 1IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 1W, 0K) surrendered an eighth inning two-run homer to Darren Blakely, but handed closer Kevin Cave (S, 2, 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0W, 1K) a 5-4 ninth inning advantage. Cave retired the side in order with one strikeout for his second save.

Third-place Carolina hosts second-place Chattanooga in the first of a four game series on Monday night at 7:15 PM ET. Trevor Hutchinson (2-0, 1.64) will oppose Daylan Childress (0-1, 6.30) in the series opener.

BIRMINGHAM 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 --- 4 7 0 6
CAROLINA 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 * --- 5 9 1 5

WP - Sodowsky (1-0) LP - Allen (0-2) S - Cave (2) HR - McNeal (4), Stokes (2), Blakely (1) Att: 5,232 Time: 2:30