Jacksonville, FL - Sergio Garcia raced around the bases on an 11th inning flyball as first-place Jacksonville outlasted third-place Carolina 5-4 at the Baseball Grounds on Friday night.

Garcia, batting for the first time in the 11th, sailed a flyball off of Bryan Gaal (L, 0-1, 2IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0W, 0K) against the left field line. Pat Magness (0-2, R, W, K) crossed over the chalk into foul territory, then moved back onto the line as the ball landed next to him in fair territory. The ball rolled into the corner while Magness chased after it. Meanwhile, Garcia stormed toward third base and was waved home by Suns manager Dino Ebel. Magness' throw missed the relay man, and the ensuing throw to home was late as Garcia scored to win the game on an inside-the-park homer.

The Mudcats (8-7) dropped their second in a row, and now trail the Suns by four games in the East, tied for third with Tennessee. The Suns (12-3) continue one of their best-ever starts, and remain undefeated at home - 8-0.

Carolina scored twice in the first for the lead on singles by Jason Stokes (2-5, R, RBI, 2K) and Joe Dillon (1-4, RBI, E) against Suns starter Derek Thompson.

Peter Bauer (ND, 5.1IP, 4H, 3R, 2ER, 0W, 2K) was perfect through 3 1/3 innings until a throwing error by Dillon at third base permitted Jacksonville's first baserunner. Willy Aybar legged out a slow groundball to avoid a double play as Jason Repko scored.

With Carolina leading 2-1 in the sixth, Bauer surrendered a two-run homer to Nick Alvarez on his final pitch.

In the seventh, Carolina reclaimed the lead. With one out, five consecutive Mudcats reached. Walks to Jimmy Goelz (0-4, R, W) and Magness were followed an RBI-single by Eric Reed (3-6, R, RBI, K, SB) and a single to left by Josh Wilson (2-5, K) to fill the bases. Josh Willingham (0-4, RBI, HBP, 2K) took a 2-2 pitch in the left shoulder to score Magness to put Carolina ahead 4-3. After a pitching change to Nate Ruhl, the Mudcats failed to score any more.

Nelson Castro greeted reliever Randy Messenger (ND, 2.1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2W, 2K) with a homer to left to tie the game at 4-4. Gaal suffered the defeat for the Mudcats, however he pitched Carolina into extra innings in the ninth.

Gaal entered after Messenger filled the bases with one out. Gaal retired Daylan Holt on a foul popout and Wilkin Ruan to ground out to force the 10th.

Trevor Hutchinson (3-0, 1.50) starts Saturday night against Suns RH Andrew Brown (0-1, 4.61) at 7:05 PM ET.

Carolina 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 --- 4 10 1 9
Jacksonville 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 --- 5 7 0 6

WP - Bott (1-1)
LP - Gaal (0-1)
S - None.

HR - Alvarez (1), Castro (3), Garcia (1)

Time: 3:29 Att: 9,558

Notes: Legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda was in attendance Friday night. Lasorda will be at the Baseball Grounds for the entire Carolina series.... Friday's crowd of 9,558 was the largest to see the Mudcats play in 2004... The extra-inning game was the Suns second in succession. Jacksonville won a 15-inning game in Greenville, SC on Thursday night 8-7... The extra-inning game was Carolina's first of the season... Winning pitcher Glenn Bott was forced into the game in the top of the 11th after 3 2/3 innings by Ruhl. Bott is slated to start Monday's game against Carolina, but with the Suns 15-inning affair on Thursday, the Suns were out of pitching... Mudcats manager Ron Hassey made two double-switches in Friday's game, the first of which brought Magness off the bench replacing starting left fielder Chip Ambres.... Eric Reed stole his ninth base of the season, tying him with West Tenn's Dwaine Bacon for the Southern League lead.

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