Wild Pitch Lifts Mudcats
August 5, 2009 - Southern League (SL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release
Sevierville, TN --- Shaun Cumberland barreled across home plate on a wild pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth to hand Carolina a 9-8 victory over Tennessee at Smokies Park on Tuesday night.
Cumberland's daring baserunning prevented the Mudcats (14-25) from losing a game after blowing a 5-0, first inning lead. After pinch-hitter Stephen Chapman fanned with the bases loaded and one out, Cumberland sped home on a 1-0 pitch from Brian Schlitter (L, 0-6) that bounced narrowly away from catcher Wellington Castillo. Cumberland had danced halfway down the line prior to the pitch and broke instantly when Schlitter's pitch hit dirt before home plate. By the time Castillo reached the ball to his right, Cumberland had scored the tie-breaking run.
Joseph Krebs (S, 1) earned his first Double-A save thanks to a double play grounder and a foul pop up caught by catcher Jason Bour to end the game.
The game was slowed by two separate delays, a 72-minute rain delay at the outset of the game, and then a 20-minute delay when power was lost momentarily in the third inning. The game took 3-hours, 14-minutes to play, but with the delays, the game did not end until minutes after midnight.
Carolina scored five times in the first inning when action finally started. Juan Francisco hit his 20th homer with a man aboard, then Bour doubled home two runs as the Mudcats batted around. Carolina sent nine to the plate in the fourth inning as well, scoring three runs to regain the lead.
Tennessee scraped starter Camilo Vazquez for a run in the first, two in the second and three in the third inning to grab a 6-5 lead. With the Mudcats ahead 8-7 in the seventh inning, Tennessee evened the score on a ground-rule double by Russ Canzler.
Geovany Soto homered against Vazquez in the fourth inning as the 2008 National League Rookie Of The Year continued his major league rehab stint.
Sean Watson (W, 4-4) worked 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief to earn the win.
Logan Parker and Francisco paced the 15-hit attack with three hits apiece.
The win snapped Carolina's season-tying five-game losing streak, while Tennessee's eight game winning streak was halted.
Jeremy Horst will start the series finale on Wednesday night at 7:15 PM ET.
Southern League Stories from August 5, 2009
- BayBears Wave Goodbye to 10-Game Skid - Mobile BayBears
- Smokies Close Out Mudcats with 6-4 Win Wednesday - Knoxville Smokies
- Braves Hand Biscuits Finale - Mississippi Braves
- Biscuits Grab Series with 6-3 Win in Finale - Montgomery Biscuits
- Mudcats Fall in Series Finale - Carolina Mudcats
- Bastardo Brilliant in 7-2 Win - Chattanooga Lookouts
- Gordon Beckham named AL Rookie of the Month - Birmingham Barons
- Suns take final game from Stars - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Suns' five-run fifth finishes off Stars - Huntsville Stars
- Horst Joins Carolina, Starts Tonight - Carolina Mudcats
- Stone Reassigned; Allison Promoted - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Wild Pitch Lifts Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Smokies fall in shoutout Tuesday night, 9-8 - Knoxville Smokies
- Diamond Jaxx sweep double-header from Lookouts - Jackson Generals
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