Friday, August 5, 2005

W 3-2

Zebulon, NC --- After going 4-2 on a weeklong road trip, the Carolina Mudcats returned to Five County Stadium and defeated the Tennessee Smokies on a James Shanks single in the last of the ninth for a 3-2 victory on Friday night.

Shanks' hit came on the first pitch from Casey Daigle (L, 7-2) following a double against the right-centerfield wall by Frank Moore, a ball that just missed being a game-winning homer.  Right fielder Jon Zeringue overthrew his catcher as Moore scored the clinching run.

Carolina (24-14, 65-41) trailed 1-0 and 2-1 before rallying for its second ninth-inning win in three days.  Rex Rundgren sliced a game-tying double with two outs in the sixth, then JC Muniz clocked a solo homer in the eighth to even the game 2-2.

Luke Lockwood pitched five brilliant innings as he made his first start replacing the recently-traded Yorman Bazardo in the rotation.  Lockwood allowed three hits and fanned three, working out of a second and third, none out jam in the fourth.  Lockwood has now pitched 20 consecutive scoreless innings.

Jerrod Fuell (W, 4-2) earned the win with a perfect ninth.  Clint Sodowsky permitted an unearned run in the sixth, his first appearance with the Mudcats since April 24, 2004.  Mike McNutt walked four and allowed a run in his two innings.

Robert Andino, Drew Niles and Rundgren each had two of Carolina's 10 hits. 

With the win, Carolina remains one game ahead of West Tenn in the Northern Division.

Adam Bostick (2-1, 3.13) starts Saturday night against Enrique Gonzalez (9-7, 4.02) at 7:15 PM ET at Five County in the middle game of the three-game set.

TENNESSEE            0 0 0   0 0 1   1 0 0   ---   2   5   0   7

CAROLINA               0 0 0   0 0 1   0 1 1   ---   3  10   0   9

WP - Fuell (4-2)

LP - Daigle (7-2)

S - None.

HR - Muniz (7)

Time:  2:57

Att:  5,693