Huntsville, AL --- Jeremy Hermida homered and drove in three runs while Carolina used three splendid defensive plays to spoil Huntsville's home opener 4-3 on Friday night at Davis Stadium. 

 

Hermida swatted his second Double-A home run off a one-strike pitch from Manny Parra (L, 0-1) to break a 1-1 tie in the sixth, part of a three-RBI night.  Hermida singled home Eric Reed in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. 

 

The Stars (1-7), who lost for the fifth time in five games to the Mudcats (6-1), tied the game in the second inning as Vinny Rottino scored on a throw to the backstop from Hermida in right field following a single by Brandon Gemoll.  Mudcats starter Scott Olsen (W, 2-0) wiggled from the second and third, one-out jam by striking out Enirque Cruz and inducing a bouncer off of Parra's bat to second base. 

 

Carolina tacked on a run for a 4-1 lead in the seventh on consecutive two-out doubles by Drew Niles and Eric Reed.  Niles, who entered the game on a double-switch in the sixth, went 2-2 and made a sparkling, one-hop spear of a potential extra base hit by Gemoll in the seventh inning.

 

In the third with the game tied 1-1, the Mudcats executed a perfect relay to third base on a double by Callix Crabbe.  Second baseman Rex Rundgren took Reed's feed from deep in centerfield, and bounced a one-hop throw to third baseman Chris Bass, who slap-tagged Crabbe for the out.

 

However, the biggest defensive gem came in the ninth with Carolina leading 4-3.  Tony Zuniga singled with one out against Chris Resop (S, 4), then Gemoll hit a hard one-hopper toward right field which first baseman Todd Sears stretched to and gloved in midair.  After scrambling to his knees, Sears pitched to Resop covering for the second out of the inning.  Resop fanned Enrique Cruz to end the game.

 

Reed finished 2-5, while shortstop Robert Andino went 2-5 with a run scored.  Jerrod Fuell pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.  Joe Rodriguez allowed the first runs by the Carolina bullpen, permitting two over 1/3 inning.  Mike Flannery entered in the eighth to strand a Rodriguez baserunner.

 

The Mudcats are now 4-0 in one-run games this season.

 

Carolina maintained its half-game lead over Chattanooga in the North, and will shoot for its seventh straight win over the Stars dating to last August on Saturday night with Nic Ungs (0-0, 1.80) starting against Glen Woolard (0-1, 4.50) at 8:05 PM ET.

 

CAROLINA        1 0 0   0 0 2   1 0 0   ---   4   12   2   9

HUNTSVILLE    0 1 0   0 0 0   0 2 0   ---    3    8   0   5

 

WP - Olsen (2-0)

LP - Parra (0-1)

S - Resop (4)

 

HR - Hermida (2)

 

Time:  2:39

Att:  5,330