SL1 Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats drop game one in 10 innings

Published on September 8, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


Zebulon, NC --- Twelve-year minor league veteran catcher JC Boscan hit a run-scoring double to right field in the top of the 10th inning to score Van Pope from first base, lifting the Mississippi Braves to a Game 1 Southern League Championship Series victory over the Carolina Mudcats 5-4 Monday night at Five County Stadium in front of 1,183 fans.

Carolina established a 4-1 lead thanks to a 4-for-5 effort from Gaby Sanchez. Sanchez had 3 RBI for the Mudcats, including a two-run single to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning to score both starting pitcher Willie Glen and John Raynor. Sanchez and Chris Coghlan delivered consecutive doubles in the third against starter Deunte Heath for a 2-1 lead. Cameron Maybin stroked a two-out double in the first to score Manuel Mayorson to put the Northern Division champion Mudcats ahead 1-0.

Mississippi clawed back one run at a time as they scored one run in fifth, sixth, eighth, and 10th innings to earn the win. The Mudcats took a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning before Kala Ka'aihue hit a lead off home run to left field off of Carolina pitcher Ryan Tucker.

The 10th inning started with two straight outs to retire Jordan Schafer and Reid Gorecki of Mississippi. Todd Doolittle (L,0-1) then walked Pope to give the Braves a man on first. The Braves then executed a perfectly timed hit and run as Boscan drove a ball down the right field line to score Pope from first base. Luis Valdez (W,1-0) then came on for the Braves in the bottom of the tenth inning and retired three Mudcat hitters in a row.

Glen worked five innings, permitting four hits and two runs (one earned). The Mudcats bullpen, which did not allow a run in 12 innings against West Tenn in the Northern Division Finals, surrendered three in five frames against the Braves.

Mississippi now leads Carolina 1-0 in a best-of-five series. The series will continue Tuesday night at 7:15 PM ET at Five County Stadium where Aaron Thompson will make his second post-season start against the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher Todd Redmond of Mississippi, who led the league with 13 victories.

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Southern League Stories from September 8, 2008


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