SL1 Carolina Mudcats

Mobile defeats Carolina

May 9, 2009 - Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


Zebulon, NC --- A wild pitch and a single by Orlando Mercado in the 10th inning sent the Mobile BayBears past the Carolina Mudcats 7-5 in a wild Saturday night homestand finale before 3,984 fans at Five County Stadium.

The capper of a 10-game homestand was a microcosm of what the Mudcats' (12-18) fans have witnessed in the last week and a half, wild plays, strange ejections and a tarp pull for the ages, but when the lights were turned out on Saturday night, Mobile (19-11) had weathered the storm literally and figuratively.

The night began with Bryan Augenstein striving for his sixth consecutive win, matching against Carolina's James Avery. The BayBears pushed across a second inning run for Augenstein, who retired the nine batters he faced. Augenstein entered 5-0 with an ERA of just 0.85. However, when the top of the fourth came, a raging storm loomed. Avery allowed a two-out double to Mercado before the winds increased to nearly 40mph and the teams were called off the field. An intense struggle followed with the Mudcats' groundscrew trying mightily to cover the field with the six-year-old tarp, only to see the tarp battle like a fighting fish. At one dangerous moment, winds swept the tarp off of the field and folded over itself, briefly covering a staff member. While no one was injured, the battle ensued with the tarp eventually ripping down a seam approximately 75' in length, but not tearing away. When the downpour began, the staff held down the tarp with their collective body weight while the torn portion was reset into place and then fastened down. The game was delayed 93 minutes before resuming.

Mobile built a 3-0 lead thanks to a two-run homer by Pete Clifford before the Mudcats began their rally. Juan Francisco doubled home a run against reliever Kyler Newby in the sixth, then tied the game in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Chris Kroski and a pinch-single from Jose Castro. Eric Eymann's two-out hit in the eighth gave the Mudcats a 4-3 lead heading to the ninth. However, the BayBears were down to their final strike, trailing 4-3 before Evan Frey singled to center with the bases loaded to give Mobile a 5-4 lead.

Carolina tied the game in the last of the ninth, building a game-tying rally with nobody on and two out. Chris Heisey walked ahead of Zach Cozart being hit. Juan Francisco looped the first pitch from Scott Maine for a single to left-center to tie the game. Todd Frazier fanned looking on a disputed third strike to end the inning.

As the 10th began, Frazier and first base umpire Jordan Baker started arguing, which led to Frazier's ejection. While Carolina manager David Bell ran onto the field to argue, Frazier's replacement Logan Parker jogged onto the field toward first base when plate umpire Gerard Ascani heard a Mudcat player say something in protest, and Parker was fingered and tossed before ever reaching the first base dirt. In utter disbelief, Parker then booted his glove with his foot 30 feet into the air before catching it, with his night over before it even began. When the dust settled, Mobile scored twice in the 10th against Ruben Medina (L, 0-2) for the victory.

Carolina travels to Birmingham to open a five-game set Monday night at 8:05 PM ET with Misael DeJesus (1-3, 10.18) starting the opener against the Barons.

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Southern League Stories from May 9, 2009


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