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Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats Wrap up Home Slate with 5-3 Finale Victory

August 30, 2015 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


ZEBULON, NC - Jacob Schrader hit a game tying home run in the third and Joey Meneses was 3-for-4 with two RBI as the Mudcats defeated the visiting Hillcats 5-3 in Carolina's final home game of the 2015 season on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.

The victory prevented a four game sweep by the Hillcats (70-63, 37-26) and lifted the Mudcats (67-65, 33-30) to a league best 42-29 home record.

Schrader and Meneses were both 3-for-4 in the game and combined to drive in three of the Mudcats' five runs. Schrader struck out with the bases loaded in the first, but hit a game tying home run in the third. It was his team and Atlanta Braves farm system best 15th of the season. Meneses drove in the go-ahead run with a single to right in the fifth and extended the lead in the seventh with a bases loaded RBI hit to left.

Andy Otero earned the win after taking over for starter Matt Bywater in the fourth. Otero (W, 1-3, 2.40) worked through two and 2/3 scoreless innings and left two inherited runners on base while pitching a scoreless fourth.

Bywater started and gave up a run in each of the first three innings before leaving with the game tied 3-3. He allowed 11 hits, gave up three runs and struck out two while throwing 55 pitches (39 strikes) in the start.

The Hillcats jumped out first with a run in the first on back-to-back doubles from Clint Frazier and Joe Sever, but the Mudcats answered back with two in the bottom side to take the lead. Connor Lien started the first with a bunt hit to third and later scored on a bases loaded sacrifice fly to deep right-center by Carlos Franco. A single to left from Joseph Odom then scored Reed Harper and the Mudcats moved in front 2-1.

Bobby Ison tied the game at 2-2 in the second with a two-out RBI double off Bywater and Paul Hendrix broke the tie with a solo home run in the third.

Schrader then matched Hendrix with a solo blast to left in the Carolina half of the third and the Mudcats locked it up at 3-3 after three before getting the go-ahead RBI single from Meneses in the fifth.

Lynchburg starter Luis Lugo allowed Schrader's game tying home run and three runs overall over his four inning start. He also gave up give five hits, walked four and struck out four. Lugo left before the fifth and reliever Justin Brantley took over out of the Lynchburg bullpen.

Brantley (L, 5-6, 3.02) pitched the fifth and allowed Meneses' RBI single before leaving the game. Meneses also drove in a run against reliever Perci Garner in the seventh to put the Mudcats up 5-3. Brantley suffered the loss and allowed a run and three hits over one full inning pitched. Garner allowed a run and three hits over two innings pitched. Reliever Trevor Frank was the last man out of the bullpen and kept the Mudcats scoreless in the eighth.

Relievers Richie Tate and Bradley Roney combined to keep the Hillcats quiet over the final three and 1/3 innings after Otero's victorious appearance. Tate inherited two from Otero in the sixth, but left both on while working out of a bases loaded jam. He also induced an inning ending double play in the seventh while pitching through two and 1/3 scoreless innings. Roney (S, 4) pitched around a hit in the ninth while earning his fourth save of the season.

The Mudcats are off on Monday and return to action with their final road trip beginning on Tuesday in Frederick against the Keys. The first pitch at Nyemo Field in Frederick is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday night.

All games air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM, Rock City 99.3 FM and Sports 1490 AM. Games are also streamed online at www.carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio and the TuneIn Radio app. TuneIn Radio is the official digital audio partner of MiLB.com.

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