Zebulon, NC - Corey Erickson singled home John Nelson with the tie-breaking run in the ninth inning to lead the Tennessee Smokies to a 5-3 win over the Carolina Mudcats at Five County Stadium before 4,522 on Sunday afternoon.

Erickson, who swatted a two-run homer in the seventh against Ryan Baker (ND, 2ip, 1h, 2r, 2er, 1w, 0k) to put the Smokies (23-21) ahead 3-0, bounced a hit through the shortstop hole with two outs to snap a 3-3 game. Jerrod Fuell (L, 0-1, 1ip, 3h, 2r, 2er, 0w, 0k) then surrendered a single to Gabe Johnson to supply the final margin of victory.

Carolina (23-21) rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the seventh when pinch-hitter Josh Willingham (HR, 8, 1-1, r, 3rbi) smoked a three-run homer against reliever Andy Cavazos to tie the game. Starting pitcher Chris Narveson was denied his first win due to Willingham's homer, leaving the mound with two out and two on ahead of the homer.

Carolina fell into a tie with Tennessee in the Eastern Division, two games behind first-place Chattanooga.

Ronald Belizario (ND, 6ip, 3h, 1r, 1er, 3w, 3k) allowed his only run in the first inning on two bloop singles which surrounded a line single by Dan Moylan.

The even series continues Monday night at 7:15 PM ET with Peter Bauer (3-2, 4.19) starting against Tennessee's Brad Thompson (7-0, 0.18).

Tennessee 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 --- 5 7 0 4
Carolina 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 --- 3 4 0 2

WP - Rust (2-0)
LP - Fuell (0-1)
S - None

HR - Erickson (5), Willingham (8)

Time: 2:26
Att: 4,522

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