Zebulon, NC --- The Carolina Mudcats matched their longest winning streak of 2004, winning their seventh straight game 9-4 on Sunday over Tennessee while Eric Reed set a club record by hitting in his 20th straight game at Five County Stadium.

 

A five-run third inning broke a scoreless game lifting Carolina (13-3) to its second consecutive sweep.  An Eric Reed infield single with two outs pushed his hit streak to 20 games by beating losing pitcher Matt Chico to first base, setting up the inning.  Robert Andino singled in Rex Rundgren while Reed scored from first as centerfielder Marland Williams overran the hit.  James Shanks and Jason Hill followed with consecutive RBI-doubles, and JC Muniz capped the inning with a single to right to score Hill.

 

The Mudcats added two in the fifth and a pinch-homer by Jeremy Hermida in the eighth, his league-leading fifth.

 

Josh Johnson (W, 3-1), who struck out the side in the first inning, carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning before the Smokies (4-13) struck for four runs to climb within 7-4.  Johnson, who finished with eight strikeouts, allowed four runs on four hits.  Luke Lockwood pitched 1 2/3 innings before handing the game over to Mike Flannery for a scoreless ninth.

 

The Mudcats, who swept Chattanooga four straight earlier in the week, finished a three-game sweep of Tennessee, which is still winless on the road this season in 10 games.

 

Carolina embarks on its longest road trip of the season Monday night, beginning a three game series with the Jacksonville Suns at 6:05 PM ET.  Scott Olsen (2-0, 3.07) starts the opener against Derek Thompson (0-1, 4.24) at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

 

TENNESSEE            0 0 0   0 0 0   4 0 0   ---   4     6   2  5

CAROLINA                 0 0 5   0 2 0   0 2 x   ---   9   13   1  5

 

WP - Johnson (3-1)

LP - Chico (0-4)

S - None.

 

HR - Hermida (5)

 

Time:  2:25

Att:  2,389