CarL1 Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats Score Early and Often in Rain Shortened 6-4 Road Win

Published on June 5, 2016 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


FREDERICK, MD - Joseph Odom hit a home run in the first, Ryan Gebhardt and Keith Curcio both had RBI singles in the second and the Mudcats held off the Keys while winning a rain shortened game 6-4 in five innings at Nymeo Field in Frederick on Sunday afternoon.

Odom's first inning home run was his fourth of the season and was the first of two hits in the frame against Keys starter Mitch Horacek. The Mudcats (22-32) ended up collecting nine hits and scored six runs against Horacek (2-6, 6.06) while evening the series at a game apiece.

Raymar Navarro started for the Mudcats and allowed four runs and seven hits over four innings pitched. Michael O'Neal (1-0, 3.00) pitched the fifth and earned the win after holding the Keys (27-29) scoreless and to one hit in the final inning.

The fifth inning came to end after Jordan Edgerton turned a line drive hit to him by Conor Biefeldt into an inning ending double play. The tarp was rolled onto the field seconds after Edgerton's double play and the game would eventually be called nearly :40 minutes later.

Carolina led 1-0 after the first and added three more in the second with help of RBI singles from Gebhardt and Curcio to take a 3-0 lead. They then added two more in the third with a RBI groundout by Sal Giardina and a RBI single by Stephen Gaylor while going out in front 6-0.

Gebhardt was 1-for-3 with a run and a RBI, Curcio was 1-for-3 with a RBI, Odom was 1-for-3 with a home run, Joey Meneses was 2-for-2 with a run and Reed Harper was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Each of the first five batters in Carolina's lineup had at least one hit all but one scored in the game. Edgerton, Giardina and Gaylor also had one hit each and both Gaylor and Giardina drove in runs.

Navarro held the Keys scoreless over the first two frames before allowing three runs and four hits in the third. He gave up a RBI singles to Jay Gonzalez and Steve Wilkerson in the third, but escaped the frame with his club leading 6-3. The Keys brought across one more in the fourth when Josh Hart drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Hart was 1-for-1 with a run and Wilkerson was 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Keys in the loss.

Carolina's victory evened the series at a game apiece and snapped a three game losing streak. The four game set is scheduled to continue on Monday night with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m. at Nymeo Field. Matt Withrow (3-4, 3.67) will start for the Mudcats against Frederick's Trevor Belicek (0-1, 10.80) on Monday night.

The Mudcats next return to Five County Stadium on Thursday, June 9 for game one of a four game home stand against Winston-Salem. The home stand begins with Thirsty Thursday and will continue with Military Appreciation Weekend beginning on Friday, June 10. The Mudcats will wear specially designed Military Appreciation jerseys throughout the weekend; those same jerseys made available for purchase through an online auction following the series. Saturday's game on June 11 will feature a Camouflage Hat Giveaway at Five County Stadium for the first 1,200 kids ages 15 and under.

Full, half and mini plan season tickets as well as group ticket packages and individual game tickets are currently available by contacting a front office representative at (919) 269-CATS (2287) or by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com.

The Carolina Mudcats are the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. First established in 1991, the two-time Southern League Champion Carolina Mudcats are in their 26th consecutive season of baseball at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C.

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Carolina League Stories from June 5, 2016


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