Zebulon, NC - Jason Stokes hit a tie-breaking double in the eighth inning as Carolina defeated Jacksonville 4-2 at Five County Stadium on Friday night.

Stokes clubbed a pitch from losing pitcher Franquelis Osoria (L, 1-3) off the glove of chasing centerfielder Wilkin Ruan to score Josh Wilson (HR, 5, 3-4, 2r, 2b, 2rbi).  Josh Willingham (2-3, rbi, ibb, k) followed with a single to left to plate Stokes for a 4-2 lead.  The inning was created on a hit-and-run single to right by Jeff Inglin on a 1-1 pitch from Osoria following Wilson's infield single.  Inglin was tossed out at home on Stokes' double.

Carolina (29-26) remained two games behind first-place Chattanooga, but closed to within 1/2 game of second-place Jacksonvile (29-25) in the East with 15 to play in the first half.

Wilson connected for a homer in the first inning against Suns starter Randy Leek. 

The 1-0 lead held up through the fifth when Peter Bauer, facing corner baserunners, fanned Tom McGee as Nick Alvarez broke from first, drawing a throw from Willingham.  Second baseman Jimmy Goelz fired back home to cut down Brennan King attempting to score.

In the sixth, Bauer survived on of the Southern League's best at-bats of the season.  With the bases loaded and two outs, guarding a 1-0 lead, Bauer worked a full-count against Suns' clean-up hitter Willy Aybar.  Aybar fouled off 10 two-strike pitches, and on the 16th pitch of the at-bat, stung a liner to shortstop Wilson, who caught the ball, outran Jason Repko to second base to complete the double play. 

In the following half-inning, Wilson doubled home Eric Reed (1-4, r, k) from first base on a drive to left-centerfield.

Jacksonville scored twice to tie the game in the eighth.  Ruddy Lugo (ND, 0.2ip, 1h, 2r, 1er, 1w, 0k) walked Repko with two outs ahead of a triple to Nelson Castro to score Repko.  Randy Messenger (W, 4-0, 1.2ip, 0h, 0r, 0w, 1k), who earned a five-out save on Thursday night, entered to face James Loney.  Loney struck the first pitch on a low line to right field, however Chip Ambres dropped the liner allowing the tying run to score.

Carolina, winners of two straight, continues its homestand Saturday night with Jeff Fulchino (0-0, 5.73) starting against Dimas Reina (0-0, 7.20) at 7:15 PM ET at Five County Stadium.

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

WP - Messenger (4-0)
LP - Osoria (1-3)
S - None.

HR - Wilson (5)

Time:  2:35
Att:  2,915