May 16, 2004

Sevierville, TN - Papo Bolivar became the third player ever to hit three homers in a single game against Carolina, but it took a two-out, two-run double by John Nelson in the eighth inning for Tennessee to down Carolina 9-7 on Sunday at Smokies Park.

Bolivar hit two homers against starting pitcher Nic Ungs (ND, 5ip, 8h, 4r, 3er, 3w, 2k), then blasted a two-run shot in the sixth against reliver Jerrod Fuell (ND, 1ip, 2h, 2r, 2er, 0w, 1k) as Tennessee (20-17) overcame a 5-1 deficit to lead 6-5. The Mudcats (20-17), who fell into a second place tie, two games behind Jacksonville in the East, tied the game 7-7 in the eighth on a single by Jason Stokes (1-4, r, rbi, k) and a bases-loaded walk to Matt Demarco (0-2, rbi, s, w).

The Mudcats were denied the lead when Nate Espy dived against the first-base line to stop a Billy Hall (2-4, r, rbi, sb) grounder to end the inning.

Kevin Cave (L, 0-3, 1ip, 1h, 2r, 2er, 3w, 2k) drew the loss when Nelson doubled inside the left field line with two outs in the eighth.

Carolina hit three solo homers in the first three innings to build an early lead. Josh Wilson (HR, 3, 2-4, 2rbi, w, k) stroked his third of the season in the first inning. Joe Dillon (HR, 8, 1-3, rbi, w, k) drilled a homer in the second, while Chip Ambres (HR, 4, 1-5, rbi, k) pounded a two-out shot in the third.

Bolivar began his historic day with a homer to left on an 0-2 pitch by Ungs in the first inning. After singling in the third, Bolivar hit a one-strike pitch for a homer to left in the fifth. In the sixth, Bolivar hit his longest of the trio on the first pitch from Fuell, just short of the left-field scoreboard. Bolivar was intentionally walked in the eighth inning, preventing a swing at league history. Just once, in 1969, has a Southern League batter hit four homers in a game. Bolivar finished 4-4 with five RBI.

Carolina, which has lost four straight, closes its roadtrip Monday night at 7:15 PM ET with Bill Murphy (3-1, 2.72) starting against Luis Martinez (3-2, 4.75).

Carolina 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 --- 7 8 0 5
Tennessee 1 0 0 0 3 2 1 2 * --- 9 13 0 9

WP - Rust (1-0)
LP - Cave (0-3)
S - None.

HR - Wilson (3), Dillon (8), Bolivar 3 (4,5,6), Ambres (4), Nelson (6)

Time: 2:44
Att: 3,754

Notes: Pat Magness made his first appearance since May 4 as a pinch hitter Sunday. Magness was activated from the disabled list, healing from a bone break in his right foot... Huntsville's Peter Zocolillo (August 23, 2002) and Cory Aldridge (August 5, 2001) are the other two hitters to hit three homers against the Mudcats... The loss suffered by Ungs was his first in five starts since April 20th... Home plate umpire Jeff Latter, jeered and derisively cheered most of the day by fans and players alike, entered into a brief debate with fans sitting in the first row adjacent to the Tennessee dugout. Latter gestured to the fans, who were upset with calls on three consecutive walks by Smokies pitchers in the game-tying eighth inning for Carolina.

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