SL1 Carolina Mudcats

Suns Hold off Mudcats

Published on July 30, 2010 under Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


ZEBULON, NC - For the second night in a row, the Carolina Mudcats rallied against the Jacksonville Suns, however the rally on Friday night came up short as the Suns earned a 10-8 victory in front a crowd of 6,287 at Five County Stadium.

With the loss, Carolina fell three games behind first-place Tennessee as the midway point of the second half is reached on Saturday.

Jacksonville (19-15) struck early against Mudcat starter Matt Klinker who was making is return to Double-A. Lorenzo Scott led off the game with a double down the right field line and later scored when Brandon Tripp send a ground ball to first where Mike Costanzo fired home and Scott collided with Carolina catcher Devin Mesoraco to score the first run of the game and knock Mesoraco out of the game with a mild consussion.

The Suns continued their offensive output in the first as former Mudcat, Lee Mitchell blasted a two-run home run over the right field wall and giving the visiting Suns a 3-0 lead after a half inning.

Carolina (17-17) answered right back in the bottom of the inning with a four spot to take a one run lead. Kris Negron led off the inning reaching on an error and after a single by Jake Kahaulelio, Dave Sappelt walked to load the bases which allowed Luis Terrero to drive a ball to center for a sacrifice fly and bring Carolina to within two. Chris Denove, who came on when Mesoraco left the game, plastered the Jose Rosario pitch to left for a three-run homer and gave the Mudcats a one-run lead after one.

However, the Suns came right back with a run in the top of the second to tie the game and four and went ahead for the first time with a three-run fourth inning against Klinker. With two outs in the fourth, Scott walked and Brandon Tripp was hit by a pitch which extended the inning for Vinny Rottino who singled home a run, followed by a two-run triple by Mitchell and gave the Suns 7-4 lead.

The game was given to the bullpens in the fifth inning and after two very strong innings of relief by Brad Boxberger, Lee Tabor came on to work the seventh and struggled in his inning of work. Rottino was hit by a pitch and was moved to second on a ground out and scored on a Matt Dominguez single. Jacksonville's final run of the seventh came when Tim Torres doubled to right to score Dominguez and give the Suns a 10-4 lead.

But for the second straight night, Carolina would begin to rally in the bottom of the seventh against Wade Korpi. Terrero began the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch which gave a easy RBI chance for Denove who capitalized with a double off the top of the wall in left. Denove stole third on the next pitch and scored on a groundout by Sean Henry, and following a Jose Castro single, Jacksonville lifted Korpi in favor of Garrett Parcell, who also labored for the Suns.

With Parcell on as the new pitcher, Carolina brought Eric Eymann off the bench as a pinch-hitter and in his first at bat since coming back from the disabled list, Eymann drew a walk, but Kris Negron bounced into a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning, however, Parcell fired a wild pitch home allowing Castro to score and bring the Mudcats to within three runs at 10-7 as the seventh inning came to a close.

Down by three, Carolina came to bat in the eighth, and as Parcell continued on for the Suns, he got the first out, but, Mike Costanzo homered for the second time in the series to pull the Mudcats to within two runs at 10-8.

In the ninth, Jose Ceda came on for the second night in a row and tired to preserve the two-run lead for the Suns. Unlike the previous evening, Carolina could not rally on the hard throwing right hander as Ceda (S 1) retired the Mudcats in order as Jacksonville earned the 10-8 win.

Game four of the five game series is scheduled for a 6:15 first pitch on Saturday night as the Mudcats send Scott Carroll (3-5, 2.92) to the mound while the Suns will give the ball to Elih Villanueva (10-4, 2.33)

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Southern League Stories from July 30, 2010


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