Carolina Wins In 11; Sets Club Record Start
May 4, 2005 - Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
Mobile, AL --- Rex Rundgren singled in the winning run in the top of the 11th inning as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Mobile BayBears 3-2 on Tuesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.
The Mudcats (20-5) had to escape a bases loaded, none out jam in the last of the ninth to become the minor's first 20-game winner. Mike Flannery (S, 4), who earned his second save in as many nights, watched the BayBears (9-17) fill the bases on a single, double and intentional walk before the amazing escape began. Flannery induced a popup by Greg Sain, which landed just beyond the infield dirt, and dropped by shortstop Robert Andino. However, the infield fly was in effect for the first out. For the second straight night, Flannery struck out Luis Cruz for the second out, then the BayBears, with one bench player remaining, pinch-hit starting pitcher Roger Deago. On the first pitch, Deago rolled a grounder that nicked the second base bag and continued rolling toward centerfield. Rundgren backhanded the ball and swatted the base with his glove to force former Mudcat Ronnie Merrill to end the game. Deago was batting instead of back-up catcher Luke Carlin, who was scratched from the starting lineup just before the game due to an injury.
With the victory, Carolina has improved to 20-5, the best 25-game start in club history, outpacing the 2003 championship club by two games. The Mudcats are 7-2 on their 10-game road trip which concludes Wednesday afternoon.
Luke Lockwood (W, 1-0) earned the win with three perfect innings in relief of Yorman Bazardo. Bazardo pitched seven innings, allowing all three of his hits in a two-run second inning by Mobile. BayBears starting pitcher Brian Whitaker singled in two runs in that frame.
Carolina went ahead 1-0 in the second inning on a grounder by Chris Bass, then tied the game in the fourth on a single by Dennis Anderson. The Mudcats squandered a pair of first-and-third, one-out situations, but in the Mobile seventh, Nick Trzesniak drilled a liner to Bass at third, who doubled off Cruz from third to snuff out a bases loaded threat to end the inning.
Anderson had two of Carolina's nine hits as the Mudcats moved to 10-1 in one-run games, and 3-0 in extra innings.
Josh Johnson (4-1, 1.84) starts the trip finale Wednesday at 12:35 PM ET against Mobile's Mike Thompson (1-1, 2.10). Carolina returns home on Friday night against the Montgomery Biscuits at 7:15 PM ET.
Southern League Stories from May 4, 2005
- Diamond Jaxx at AdvantEdge Sports Saturday May 7 - Jackson Generals
- D-Jaxx sweep Barons with 9-2 win - Birmingham Barons
- SpongeBob and Girl Scouts and Fireworks, Oh, My! A Week Filled with Fun at Pringles Park - Jackson Generals
- Biscuits dump Suns late, 2-1 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Biscuits win game and series over Suns, 2-1 - Montgomery Biscuits
- Smokies Sweep Lookouts - Knoxville Smokies
- Mudcats Fail In Sweep Bid - Carolina Mudcats
- Francoeur and Braves finish series sweep - Huntsville Stars
- BayBears win homestand finale - Mobile BayBears
- D-Jaxx win wild game, 9-5 - Birmingham Barons
- Carolina Wins In 11; Sets Club Record Start - Carolina Mudcats
- BayBears lose in 11 - Mobile BayBears
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