Chattanooga, TN - Joe Dillon and Josh Willingham singled in successive runs in the seventh, then Jason Stokes blasted his fourth homer in four games to lead Carolina to its fifth straight win, 3-1 over Chattanooga at Bell South Park on Monday night.

Carolina's five-game winning streak is its longest since winning nine in a row in the first half of 2003, and propelled the Mudcats into sole possession of second place in the East, trailing first-place Jacksonville by two games. Tennessee (17-14) is tied for third with the Lookouts, three games behind after starting the night tied for second with Carolina.

Carolina (18-13) trailed ex-major leaguer Brian Rose (L, 1-2) 1-0 in the seventh before a pair of infield hits began the rally. Josh Wilson (1-4, R) singled behind second base, followed by an infield roller up the third base line by Chip Ambres (2-4, R, 2K) which was scooped up by Edwin Encarnacion. After Kenny Kelly raced down a deep drive to the right-centerfield wall by Jason Stokes (HR, 11, 1-4, RBI, GDP), Dillon (1-4, RBI) followed with a line single to left-center to score Wilson to tie the game 1-1. Willingham (1-4, RBI, K) drooped a single over shortstop for the tie-breaking hit.

Stokes led off the ninth inning with a solo homer to left against reliever Travis Thompson, hit Southern League leading 11th, which set a franchise record for homering in four straight contests.

Trevor Hutchinson (W, 5-1, 7IP, 8H, 1R, 1ER, 1W, 2K) notched his league-tying fifth victory, working seven innings. Hutchinson, who beat the Lookouts (17-14) for the second time in two starts, stranded four runners in scoring position in the first three innings, including escaping a second-third situation with one out in the third inning.

The Lookouts took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a one-out single by Andy Beattie, scoring Brian Peterson from third base.

Rose did not permit a Mudcat to reach second base until the seventh inning.

Randy Messenger (ND, 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1W, 2K) walked the leadoff hitter in the eighth while leading 2-1, but after a sacrifice bunt by clean-up hitter Dionys Cesar, fanned the final two hitters.

Bryan Gaal (S, 2, 1IP, 0H, 0ER, 0W, 1K) retired the Lookouts in order in the ninth for his second save.

Nic Ungs (1-1, 3.16) starts Tuesday night in Chattanooga against former Mudcat and ex-Cincinnati Reds RH Luke Hudson (1-1, 4.66) at 7:15 PM ET.

Carolina 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 --- 3 8 0 4
Chattanooga 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 --- 1 8 0 8

WP - Hutchinson (5-1)
LP - Rose (1-2)
S - Gaal (2)

HR: Stokes (11)

Time: 2:39
Att: 4,646

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