SL1 Carolina Mudcats

Mudcats Take Second Straight from Tennessee

April 28, 2009 - Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


Sevierville, TN --- Juan Francisco fell a double shy of the cycle, while James Avery worked eight innings en route to his first win as Carolina took its second straight from Tennessee 7-5 at Smokies Park on Tuesday afternoon.

More than 6,000 attended Tuesday's game, with Knoxville regional schoolkids arriving as early as 9:00 AM as part of a drug awareness event, then watched Avery (W, 1-2) limit the Smokies (9-9) to just a pair of solo home runs as Carolina (8-11) built a 5-2 lead into the seventh inning.

A single by Todd Frazier in the first inning scored Francisco, who tripled over right fielder James Adduci. IN the second, Shaun Cumberland came in on a ground single to left by Eric Eymann. Tennessee, which hadn't hit a home run at Smokies Park all season, tied the game against Avery on homers by Kyle Reynolds and Ty Wright.

After Francisco singled in the third, the Mudcats pushed ahead 4-2 in the fifth thanks to Francisco's two-run home run to right field against starter Casey Coleman (L, 3-1).

Avery battled through potential trouble in the seventh, working through a second and third, none out jam. Tennessee managed just one run in the frame on a pinch-hit groundout, and Avery threw a perfect eighth inning to end his outing.

In the ninth, leading 5-3, Carolina scored two insurance runs it would wind up needing. Chris Heisey looped a two-run, two-out single against the right field line to score Chris Kroski and Jose Castro. Ramon Geronimo replaced Avery in the last of the ninth and promptly walked a batter ahead of a two-run blast by Wellington Castillo to cut the Carolina lead to 7-5. However, Geronimo retired the next three hitters to end the game.

Francisco, who finished 3-4, popped to left in the seventh against Jeremy Papelbon, and was left on-deck when the ninth ended.

The Mudcats' trip to Tennessee ends on Wednesday at 11:30 AM ET with Misael DeJesus (1-1, 12.27) starting against Jay Jackson (0-3, 9.45). Carolina embarks on a 10-game homestand Thursday night against Chattanooga.

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