** Tennessee 5, Carolina 4 **

 

Sevierville, TN --- A botched suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth nevertheless led Tennessee past Carolina 5-4 at Smokies Park on Sunday.  

With runners at first and third and one out, Smokies second baseman Ismael Salas swung away at a pitch from Mudcats reliever Scott Tyler (L, 0-1) with Jemel Spearman breaking home from third base.  Salas hit a one-hopper to third baseman Lee Mitchell, who had no play on Spearman as the first-place Smokies retained sole possession of the Northern Division lead.  

The Mudcats (9-15) stole a 4-3 lead in the seventh when pinch-hitter Frank Moore belted a three-run homer to right against reliever Adalberto Mendez.  Mendez entered in the seventh inning for starter Donnie Veal, who started the game 0-4 with a 10.27 ERA, yet limited the Mudcats to only a first-inning homer by Grant Psomas. 

Veal walked the first two batters of the inning, then Mendez recorded two outs before Moore socked his home run to lift the Mudcats from a 3-1 deficit.   

The game marked the Double-A debut of 21-year-old Rick Vanden Hurk, who returned to the minors fresh from a four-game stint with the Florida Marlins. 

Vanden Hurk gave up a run in the first to tie the game, then a terrible-hop double by Josh Kroeger with two outs in the third, which initially started as a grounder to shortstop off the bat.  The last bounce jumped from the ankles of Rex Rundgren to his shoulder blade, and caromed into centerfield.  In the Tennessee fifth, Gary Cates dropped a soft single to center to bring home Sam Fuld with an unearned run.  

The Smokies (11-11) tied the game in the seventh against Harvey Garcia when Rundgren made a wild throw toward first base on a one-hopper, allowing Joe Simokaitis to score.  

The tied series closes on Monday night at 7:15 PM ET with Manu Olivera (0-3, 6.38) starting opposite Sean Gallagher (2-2, 4.19).