Jackson, TN - Jason Stokes hammered a bases-clearing double with two outs in the ninth as Carolina broke a 3-3 tie for a 6-3 win over West Tenn before 2,914 fans at Pringles Park on Friday night.

Carolina (26-22) patiently loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against West Tenn (27-20) relief pitchers Russ Rohlicek (L, 4-2) and closer Jermaine Van Buren.  Van Buren walked Josh Willingham (HR, 10, 2-3, 2r, 2rbi, 2w) to fill the bases ahead of Stokes.  Van Buren's first pitch was sailed over left fielder Mike Dzurilla's head to score three runs.

With the win, Carolina kept pace with first-place Chattanooga in the East, one game behind with 22 to play in the first half.

Ryan Baker (W, 1-0, 2ip, 1h, 0r, 1w, 1k) notched the victory, working two scoreless innings.  Randy Messenger (S, 3, 1ip, 1h, 0r, 1w, 1k) saved his third straight game, retiring Dwaine Bacon on a soft liner to short as the tying run to end the game.

Carolina scored an unearned run in the first inning against Bobby Brownlie.  Consecutive errors began the game by Richard Lewis at second base and third baseman Jemel Spearman.  Chip Ambres (1-3, r, rbi, 2w, k, sb) singled through the right side to score Eric Reed (0-5, r, k).

West Tenn pushed three across in the bottom of the first against Bill Murphy (ND, 6ip, 3h, 3r, 3er, 4w, 8k).  Dzurilla doubled against the centerfield wall to drive in the first run, while a Murphy wild pitch scored the second.  With runners at first and third, Aron Weston was thrown out stealing second as Dzurilla came home from third base.

Willingham hit his 10th homer of the season with a man on in the third to tie the game.

Carolina sends Ronald Belizario (1-3, 5.04) against Diamond Jaxx lefty Reynel Pinto (4-2, 4.30) Saturday night at 7:35 PM ET.

Carolina        1 0 2   0 0 0   0 0 3   ---   6   8   0   8
West Tenn    3 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0   ---   3   5   2   7

WP - Baker (1-0)
LP - Rohlicek (4-2)
S - Messenger (3)

HR - Willingahm (10)

Att:  2,914
Time:  2:58