SL1 Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats earn shutout win

Published on July 4, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


Zebulon, NC --- Josh Johnson pitched eight shutout innings to lead the Carolina Mudcats past the Tennessee Smokies 6-0 in front of the third largest crowd in franchise history - 8,769 fans Friday night at Five County Stadium.

With the victory, Carolina (9-8) assumed a 6-5 season-series lead over the Smokies (11-6), and moved to within two games of the first-place Smokies in the Northern Division.

Gaby Sanchez started the scoring for Carolina with a two-out home run in the bottom of the first to give Carolina (9-8) a 1-0 lead. After Johnson led off the third inning with a double, and later scored when Chris Coghlan singled to center field to give Carolina a 2-0 lead.

Johnson (W,1-1) pitched eight innings, allowing five hits and striking out seven. Johnson did the most damage with his bat in the bottom of the fourth inning when he hit a three-run home run over the left field wall to score Daron Roberts and Brad Davis. Johnson, in hitting the 18th home run ever by a Carolina pitcher, became the first to do so twice in a career, homering against the Chattanooga Lookouts' Josh Hall in 2005.

Roberts made his Double-A debut for Carolina, going 2-4, including a home run to left center field in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Tennessee starting pitcher Esmailin Caridad (L,2-1) pitched five and two-thirds innings for the Smokies, giving up ten hits and six runs, all of them earned.

Carolina's three homers ended a 21-game power shortage during which the Mudcats hit just one longball.

Carolina will send Willie Glen (4-2,2.50) to the mound against James Russell (3-3,4.45) of Tennessee (11-6) at 6:15 PM ET.

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Southern League Stories from July 4, 2008


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