Tuesday, August 16, 2005

L 2-1

Birmingham, AL --- Darren Blakely doubled home the game-winning run in the ninth inning as Birmingham beat Carolina 2-1 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on Tuesday night.

Blakely came to the plate after Chris Resop (L, 3-2) walked Josh Fields with two outs.  On a 1-2 pitch, Blakely shot a pitch up the right-centerfield gap as Fields scored ahead of the relay throw to the plate.

The Mudcats (30-20, 71-47) have dropped a second half high four straight games, and seen their Northern Division lead shrink from five games to three over West Tenn.

Adam Bostick pitched the first six innings, permitting three walks and six hits and stranding 10 baserunners in the process.  The Barons went ahead 1-0 in the second on a Pedro Lopez grounder to score Fields from third.

Carolina tied the game in the fourth against Sean Tracey, who entered the game as the winningest pitcher in the league with 12.  With two outs and none on, Jason Hill doubled, Reggie Abercrombie bounced an infield single over the mound, pushing Hill to third.  JC Muniz dropped a single to center to tie the game.

The Mudcats close their eight-game, seven-day road trip on Wednesday night looking to avoid the sweep in Birmingham at 8:00 PM.  Ray Aguilar (4-1, 2.38) starts against Heath Phillips (8-4, 3.79).

CAROLINA            0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0   ---   1   6   2   6

BIRMINGHAM       0 1 0   0 0 0   0 0 1   ---   2   9   1  15

WP - Pollok (3-5)

LP - Resop (3-2)

S - None.

HR - None.

Att:  2,525

Time:  2:54