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 Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats Brush Away Sox in Twinbill

April 16, 2014 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


Zebulon, N.C. - The Carolina Mudcats used dominant pitching to sweep a doubleheader from the Salem Red Sox on a chilly Wednesday night at Five County Stadium. The Mudcats (8-5) earned their second shutout win with a 4-0 final in game one and held on for a 2-1 victory in the nightcap. The Red Sox (6-7) have lost six straight.

Game one belonged to Ryan Merritt (2-0). The left-handed starter held the Sox to two hits over 5.2 innings and struck out six with three walks. Elvis Araujo pitched the final 1.1 innings, fanning three, for his first save. Luis Diaz (1-1) surrendered a run on five hits over 3.2 innings for Salem.

Erik Gonzalez provided the offense by finishing three-for-four and a home run shy of the cycle. The shortstop tripled to left-center in the first inning and scored on a base hit by Jeremy Lucas.

Leading 1-0, the Mudcats scored twice in the fifth. Logan Vick drew a leadoff walk. With Gonzalez batting, Vick stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Gonzalez singled in Vick for a 2-0 lead and scored on a double to right by Anthony Gallas.

Todd Hankins capped the scoring when he drove in Charlie Valerio with a sac-fly to right in the sixth inning.

An unearned run proved the difference in game two. Starter Jacob Lee, Josh Martin (2-1) and Louis Head combined to hold the Sox at bay again. Lee hurled 3.1 innings, allowing a run on three hits. Martin earned the win in relief after hurling 2.2 hitless innings. He struck out three. Head earned his Carolina League-leading fourth save by striking out the side in the seventh.

Salem opened the scoring in the third when Kevin Heller began the frame with a triple off the wall in right. He scored on a sac-fly to deep center by Dreily Guerrero. The Mudcats quickly countered when Hankins leadoff the frame with a triple of his own. A double by Gonzalez up the right side scored Hankins to knot the game at one.

Ollie Linton scored the winning run on a wild play in the fourth. The speedster reached on a one-out walk. With James Roberts batting, Linton stole second. An errant throw by catcher Jayson Hernandez allowed Linton to try for third. The shortstop's throw that way sailed into the Mudcats dugout, awarding Linton home plate and the go-ahead score.

The Mudcats finish the series against the Salem Red Sox on Thursday night. It's Thirsty Thursday at Five County Stadium with a first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Gates open at 6:15 p.m. Right-hander Cole Sulser against a pitcher-to-be-named for Salem. Tickets are available by calling the box office at (919) 269-2287 or by logging on to carolinamudcats.com.


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