Birmingham, AL - The Carolina Mudcats torched the Southern League's top-rated pitching staff for the second straight nigh en route to a 10-4 win over the Birmingham Barons at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on Thursday night.

Josh Willingham (HR, 20, 1-3, 2r, 2rbi, 2w, k) homered as part of a six-run third inning as Carolina (25-27, 62-60) amassed 12 more hits, and 26 against the Barons in the last two games.

Nic Ungs (W, 9-8, 6ip, 7h, 2r, 2er, 0w, 5k) won for the fourth time in five starts. Ungs allowed four first-inning hits, but exited the inning trailing just 1-0 when Norm Martel grounded into a double play. Ungs allowed just three more hits over the next five innings.

Billy Hall (2-5, rbi, w) extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an infield single in the second inning, which scored Rob Ryan (0-3, 2r, rbi, 2w) to tie the game.

For the second straight night, Carolina drubbed a Barons starting pitcher, with Dennis Ulacia (L, 7-7) working just 2 2/3 innings. Ulacia allowed eight hits and seven runs. Jeff Inglin (2-2, 2r, hbp, w) singled, Jason Stokes (1-3, 2r, 2w, k) singled Inglin to third, then a wild pitch scored Inglin for a 2-1 lead. Willingham followed with his 20th home run, a deep blast to left-centerfield. Ryan Minor (1-5, r, 2b, k) followed with a groundball double past third before Ryan walked. One out later, Jimmy Goelz (2-5, r, 2b, rbi) appeared to hit a three-run homer over the left field wall, however home plate umpire Mike Estabrook signaled the ball off the wall for an RBI-double. Minor, who had just crossed home plate, retraced to third to argue Estabrook's call, along with third base coach Edwin Gonzalez. Manager Ron Hassey came out from the dugout to argue the call, which the Mudcats felt hit the wooded patio raised behind the left field wall instead. After the three umpires conferred, the call stood. Two pitches later, Hassey was warned by Estabrook to stop arguing, which prompted Hassey to sprint out from the dugout a second time and engage in a heated argument with Estabrook. After a few minutes, Hassey returned to the dugout but was not ejected.

Jason Pearson (ND, 2ip, 1h, 1r, 0er, 0w, 0k) worked two innings behind Ungs, while Pat Flury (ND, 1ip, 2h, 1r, 1er, 0w, 1k) mopped up in the ninth inning allowing one run.

Birmingham (31-21, 67-55), which has not lost a home series in the second half, must defeat Carolina Friday night to avoid that fate.

Carolina, 7-4 on its season-long 12-game road trip, completes the swing Friday night with Mike McNutt (2-1, 5.91) starting against the Barons Jim Bullard (8-3, 3.59) at 8:00 PM ET.

Carolina 0 1 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 --- 10 12 2 11
Birmingham 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 --- 4 10 1 7

WP - Ungs (9-8)
LP - Ulacia (7-7)
S - None.

HR - Willingham (20)

Time: 3:03
Att: 3,093

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