Friday, June 17, 2005

L 5-4

Sevierville, TN --- Attempting to rally in the late innings to break one of its longest losing streaks in team history, Carolina scored three in the eighth, but stranded the tying and leading runs in the ninth as Tennessee dropped the Mudcats to their eighth straight loss, 5-4 on Friday night at Smokies Park.

Tennessee (32-36), which won for the ninth consecutive game, took a 3-0 lead in the fourth and extended the advantage to 5-1 on a two-run single by Jesus Cota in the seventh before the Mudcats (40-26) roared.

In the eighth, James Shanks singled in Robert Andino, then after an infield single by Drew Niles filled the bases, Dennis Anderson hit a two-run single off of Jerry Gil's glove at short to trim the deficit to 5-4.  Reliever Mike Schultz fanned the next two hitters with runners at first and third to preserve the lead.

With the same 5-4 score in the ninth, singles by Andino and Jason Hill gave Shanks a chance, but on an 0-2 pitch by Casey Daigle, Shanks flew to center to end the game.

Carolina had 11 hits, including two apiece by Eric Reed, Andino, Hill and Shanks.

Luke Lockwood (L, 2-2) suffered the loss, allowing three runs over four innings.  Ryan Baker worked two scoreless innings.  Kevin Cave pitched the seventh, permitting Cota's two-run single, and Mike Flannery pitched a scoreless eighth.

The Mudcats' eight-game losing streak has matched the club's third longest ever, an eight-game skid in 1996.  The longest was 12, set back in 1992.

Ray Aguilar will make his debut as a Mudcat on Saturday night, starting against Tennessee's Adam Bass (2-7, 4.69) at 7:15 PM ET.  Carolina, which was eliminated by West Tenn on Thursday, is guaranteed second place for the half, which will end on Sunday.

CAROLINA        0 0 0   0 1 0   0 3 0   ---   4   11   0   10

TENNESSEE    0 0 0   3 0 0   2 0 x   ---   5   12   0   7

WP - Gonzalez (8-2)

LP - Lockwood (2-2)

S - Daigle (7)

HR - None.

Time:  3:17

Att:  5,244