Saturday, July 2, 2005

Game # 1 L 4-1 Game # 2 Postponed Due to Rain

Jacksonville, FL --- For the first time since Monday night, the Carolina Mudcats took the field, but following a rain delay of three hours and 28 minutes, Chad Billingsley no-hit the Mudcats into the final inning as the Jacksonville Suns beat Carolina 4-1 on Saturday night at the Baseball Grounds.

The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was not played.  It will be made up when the Mudcats return to Jacksonville in August.

Billingsley (W, 6-4) retired the first 10 hitters before a Mudcat reached, then lost his no-hitter to Drew Niles, who doubled to lead off the seventh inning over the head of centerfielder Todd Donovan.  That hit would be the Mudcats' only one of the game, Billingsley's first career complete game.

The Suns took a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Yorman Bazardo (L, 5-6) when Jon Weber singled home Donovan, who had reached on an error.  Tydus Meadows hit his 11th homer of the season against Bazardo in the fifth, then reliever Luke Lockwood's two walks in the sixth inning scored on a Joel Guzman double and error on shortstop Rex Rundgren.

Following Weber's hit in the first inning, Bazardo retired the next 12 batters before Meadows' homer.

Carolina will play a 6:05 PM ET doubleheader on Sunday night in Jacksonville with Jason Vargas and Josh Johnson starting for the Mudcats.

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

JACKSONVILLE  1 0 0   0 1 2   x   ---     4   3   0   2

WP - Billingsley (6-4)

LP - Bazardo (5-6)

S - None.

HR - Meadows (11)

Time:  1:42

Att:  2,273