Zebulon, NC - Former Mudcat Javier Colina drove in three runs as Tennessee dealt a blow to the first-half hopes of Carolina at Five County Stadium on Thursday night.

The Mudcats fell three games behind first-place Chattanooga with nine remaining in the first half with their 7-5 loss before 5,760 fans.

Jeremy Cook (W, 2-1) recorded his second win of the season, both against Carolina (32-29). Cook worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, yielding a solo homer to Josh Wilson (HR, 7, 3-4, 2r, 2b, rbi, w) in the first.

Colina tripled in a pair of two-out runs in the fourth for a 2-1 lead against Jeff Fulchino (L, 1-1, 4+, 8h, 6r, 6er, 2w, 4k). Milko Jaramillo followed with a soft double to left to bring Colina home for a 3-1 advantage.

The Mudcats tied the game in the bottom half on a single by Jimmy Goelz (3-4, r, rbi) and a two-out triple by Dennis Anderson (1-4, 3b, rbi).

Fulchino was knocked out in the fifth after allowing a double and two singles. Bryan Gaal (ND, 1ip, 2h, 1r, 1w, 2k) allowed two inherited runners to score and another charged to him as Tennessee (31-30) scored four for a 7-3 lead.

Carolina scored an unearned run in the seventh against Evan Rust when a grounder by Jason Stokes (1-4, r, 2b, ibb, k) rolled through Jaramillo's legs at shortstop permitting Matt Demarco (1-1, r) to score.

Trailing 7-4 in the ninth, Carolina plastered Carmen Cali, but managed just one run. Chip Ambres (1-1) singled off of Gabe Johnson's glove at third, but Jarmillo stopped a short-hop smash by Billy Hall (0-4, w, gdp) and converted it into a 6-3 double play. Wilson doubled into the right field corner, then scored on a single by Josh Willingham (1-5, rbi, k, gdp). Stokes, representing the tying run, was intentionally walked to get to Eliezer Alfonzo. Alfonzo, who was 0-3 with three strikeouts in his first three at-bats with Carolina, fanned on three pitches to end the game.

Nic Ungs (3-2, 3.63) starts the series finale on Friday night against Jeremy Cummings (4-1, 3.39) at 7:15 PM ET.

Tennessee 0 0 0 3 4 0 0 0 0 --- 7 11 1 8
Carolina 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 --- 5 11 0 9

WP - Cook (2-1)
LP - Fulchino (1-1)
S - Cali (5)

HR - Wilson (7)

Time: 3:00
Att: 5,760

Notes: The parents of Dennis Anderson were in town Thursday night celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary... Carolina won each half in the Eastern Division in 2003, and the first half in 2002... Smokies RF Dee Haynes was ejected in the first inning by plate umpire RJ Thompson for arguing a called strike three. Jon Hamilton replaced Haynes and went 0-3 with a walk.

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