Hillcats Miscues Give Mudcats 4-3 Series Opening Victory
April 29, 2016 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
ZEBULON - The Mudcats scored four runs in the sixth with help of two wild pitches from Anderson Polanco and a Bobby Bradley fielding error while coming back from a three run deficit to win 4-3 versus the Hillcats at Five County Stadium on Friday night.
The Mudcats (10-11) have won three straight in their current home stand and picked up Friday's win against Lynchburg (16-6) in front of a crowd of 4,566 at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
Enderson Franco started for Carolina and pitched through the sixth with three runs (two earned) allowed on six hits while earning his second straight victory. Mitch Brown started for the Hillcats and took the loss after allowing three earned runs and six hits over five plus innings.
Zack Bird, Carlos Salazar and Sean McLaughlin all followed Franco (W, 2-1, 7.36) out of the bullpen and managed to combine on three near perfect frames. Bird faced only three and retired the side in order in the seventh. Salazar walked one, but struck out three in a scoreless eighth. McLaughlin (S, 1) then worked a perfect ninth while earning his first save of the season.
Brown started for Lynchburg and went through five scoreless before leaving with the bases loaded in the sixth. He allowed a leadoff bunt single to Reed Harper to start the sixth and then gave up Dansby Swanson's league best 12th double before walking Jordan Edgerton to load the bases.
With Braxton Davidson due up next, the Hillcats then opted to replace Brown with a left-handed reliever and brought in Polanco (BS, 1, L, 1-1 , 2.04), Brown did not record an out in the sixth and eventually saw all three of the runners he left on base score as Polanco struggled through the inning.
Polanco issued a run-scoring bases loaded walk to Davidson. Polanco threw two wild pitches in the frame with the first scoring Swanson and the second allowing Edgerton in as the tying run. Davidson later scored the go-ahead run when Bradley dropped a pop up with two outs in the inning. The error allowed Davidson in as the go-ahead and eventual game winning run.
The Mudcats scored all four of their sixth inning runs without recording a single run scoring hit. They finished the game 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base in the victory.
Davidson was 1-for-3 in Friday's home win and drove in one run. Joey Meneses was 2-for-4 and Swanson was 1-for-3 with a double.
Lynchburg scored all three of its runs in the third off Franco and were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the loss. Ye-Cheng Chang drove in two in the third with a single to left and was 1-for-4 with two RBI. Anthony Santander was 3-for-3 in the game for the Hillcats. Polanco took the loss and allowed on unearned run over three innings pitched. He did not allow a hit, walked three and allowed three inherited runners to score.
The series continues on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. Saturday's game will feature a pitching matchup of Ryan Lawlor (1-1, 5.09) for Carolina versus Luis Lugo (1-1, 4.87) for the Hillcats.
The Mudcats will hand out souvenir light-sabers to the first 1,200 kids ages 14 and under before Saturday's game in Zebulon as they continue their Star Wars theme weekend. Tickets are available by calling (919) 269-2287, online at www.carolinamudcats.com and in person at the box office.
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