Chattanooga, TN --- One day after stroking a season-high 20 hits with a 10-run victory, Carolina drilled 13 more in a 9-7 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts, securing its third straight win at Bell South Park on Wednesday afternoon.

 

The see-saw affair saw Carolina hold four different leads in the game before the Mudcats continued their best season-opening start since 2003. 

 

Trailing 3-2 in the fifth inning, the Mudcats (9-3) scored three runs, followed by three in the sixth to amass an 8-5 lead.  Drew Niles doubled in a pair of runs in the fifth with two outs as Carolina reclaimed the lead, while Lookouts reliever Brad Salmon allowed three runs in the sixth thanks to two hit batters, two walks and two wild pitches.

 

Robert Andino paced the 13-hit attack with his fourth three-hit game of the season, going 3-5 with a double.  Former Lookout Jason Hill, starting for the first time against his ex-team, went 2-4, scoring twice and doubling in a run in the first inning.  In the eighth, Jeremy Hermida homered for the second consecutive game, taking former major leaguer Erik Eckenstahler out to right field.

 

Scott Olsen, bidding for his third straight win, surrendered his first earned runs of the season, allowing six over 4 2/3 innings, fanning six.  Chad Bentz (W, 1-0) secured the win despite allowing a run on one hit with three walks.  Mike Flannery continued his highly effective pitching, working 2 1/3 scoreless setup innings.  Flannery has yet to allow a run this season.  Chris Resop (S, 5) tied for the Southern League lead in saves, stranding the tying runs in scoring position as the game ended on a flyout to right. 

 

Eric Reed extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a pinch-single in the ninth inning.  Reed, who has hit safely in the first eight games of 2005, had an eight-game streak alive in 2004 before he broke his wrist to end his season.

 

Carolina, which continues to lead the Northern Division, is 4-2 on its first road trip of the season, and concludes the swing with the series finale on Thursday night against the Lookouts at 7:15 PM ET.  Nic Ungs (0-1, 2.53) starts for the Mudcats against Chattanooga's Eddy Valdez (0-0, 5.73). 

 

CAROLINA            1 0 1   0 3 3   0 1 0   ---   9   13   2   11

CHATTANOOGA    1 0 0   2 3 1   0 0 0   ---   7   14   1   12

 

WP - Bentz (1-0)

LP - Salmon (1-2)

S - Resop (5)

 

HR - Hermida (4)

 

Time:  3:20

Att:  2,068