Sunday, July 3, 2005

Game #1 W 4-1 Game #2 W 8-7

Jacksonville, FL --- In a doubleheader that ended just minutes after the calendar flipped to the Fourth of July, the Carolina Mudcats moved into a first-place tie by sweeping a pair from the Jacksonville Suns in stirring, comeback fashion at the Baseball Grounds on late Sunday night.

The Mudcats' early holiday celebration was culminated with a season-high six-run rally in the nightcap for an 8-7 win.  Carolina scored four runs in the final inning in the opener to steal a 4-1 victory.

In game two, Josh Johnson and the Mudcats spotted the Suns (5-6) a 6-0 lead after four innings before sprinting to the win.  Carolina scored five times against Suns starter William Juarez and reliever Jason Olson in the fifth on a three-run homer by Jeremy Hermida and a two-run, two-out double by Michael Tucker.  In the sixth, Jason Hill singled in two runs with two outs against losing pitcher Hong-chih Kuo.  Kuo, a flamethrowing lefty beset by arm injuries during his career that began as a Tiawanese teenager, left with an apparent arm injury in the seventh.

The Suns tied the game against Ryan Baker (W, 3-1) in the bottom of the sixth on a double by Delwyn Young, but Young threw away a potential inning-ending double play grounder by Eric Reed in the seventh to score Tucker from second for an 8-7 win.

In the opener, Jason Vargas dueled Suns starter Edwin Jackson (L, 1-2) for five innings, with the Suns maintaining a 1-0 lead.  Vargas fanned a career-tying 11 hitters in five innings, including seven straight batters, one shy of the Southern League record.  However Vargas and the Mudcats (6-4) trailed 1-0 heading to the seventh thanks to a daring steal of home by Suns centerfielder Todd Donovan.  Donovan reached on an infield hit in the first, stole second and third on consecutive pitches, then timed a break against the windup of Vargas and beat his delivery to the plate.

Hill's heroics surfaced in the first game, as the all-star catcher drilled Jackson's first pitch over the left-centerfield wall for a tying homer.  The Mudcats would score three more times in the inning, thanks in large part to an errant throw by reliever Jonathan Broxton with the bases loaded in the seventh.  A walk by Jackson, combined by two more from Broxton filled the bases as JC Muniz bounced a pitch back to Broxton.  Broxton threw home off of his heels, and tossed wide of the plate to the backstop to permit two runs to score.  Eric Reed singled in one extra insurance run as the Mudcats won the first game 4-1.

The wins snapped a club-record seven-game losing streak against the Suns. 

Jerrod Fuell (W, 3-1) earned the win in the opener, pitching a scoreless inning, his first appearance since June 5th.  Fuell had been on the disabled list with tendonitis in his right shoulder.  Mike Flannery (S, 6&7) saved both ends of the doubleheader for the Mudcats.

Carolina returns home tonight against the Chattanooga Lookouts at 7:15 PM ET for a Fourth of July spectacular.  Ray Aguilar (1-0, 0.75) makes his third start for the Mudcats against Lookouts lefty Phil Dumatrait (2-9, 2.92).  Gates will be open at 5:30, 45 minutes earlier than normal to allow the overflow, sellout crowd to settle into their seats.

Game # 1

CAROLINA            0 0 0   0 0 0   4   ---   4   5  1   4

JACKSONVILLE    1 0 0   0 0 0   0   ---   1   4   1   5

WP - Fuell (3-1)

LP - Jackson (1-2)

S - Flannery (6)

HR - Hill (11)

Time:  2:19

Game # 2

CAROLINA            0 0 0   0 5 2   1   ---   8   10   1   8

JACKSONVILLE    0 5 0   1 0 1   0   ---   7    7    1   6

WP - Baker (3-1)

LP - Kuo (0-1)

S - Flannery (7)

HR - Hermida (14)

Time:  2:56

Att:  8,023