Curcio homers as Mudcats clinch series win

ZEBULON - Keith Curcio hit a two-run home run in the third, Matt Withrow allowed a run and four hits in a career best six inning start and Joey Meneses stretched his hitting streak to seven straight games as the Mudcats clinched a series victory with a 5-4 home win against the Hillcats on Sunday afternoon in Zebulon.

Withrow (W, 1-1, 1.04) picked up his first win of the season while working through his longest career start. He allowed a solo home run to Mike Papi in the third, but managed to limit the Hillcats (17-7) to just three other hits while turning in his first quality start of the season. Carolina's starting rotation has now posted five consecutive quality starts.

Papi's home run in the third gave the Hillcats a 1-0 lead, but the Mudcats (11-12) came back with a two run shot from Curcio to then go out in front 2-1. Lynchburg starter Julian Merryweather allowed Curcio's home run in the third, but did so after seeing Reed Harper reach on a two-out error. The home run was Curcio's first of the season.

Both third inning runs and the two that later scored in the seventh were all unearned to Merryweather (L, 4-1, 0.60). He finished the game with two hits, two walks and four strikeouts over six and 1/3 innings while taking his first loss of the season. 

Reliever Cole Sulser pitched the seventh after Merryweather left the game and ended up seeing two of the three runners he inherited score with help of a passed ball and throwing error all on the same play. Sulser allowed a RBI single to Meneses in the eighth and finished with one earned run allowed over one and 2/3 innings on Sunday.

Meneses was 2-for-4 for Carolina with a run batted in. He hit a double off Merryweather to start the seventh and brought his hitting streak to a season high seven straight games.

The Hillcats were charged with four errors in their road loss and ended up losing three games during their six game road trip. They had previously been undefeated on the road this season before losing on Thursday and Winston-Salem and losing twice more in Carolina on Friday and Sunday.

Lynchburg did mount a comeback with three runs over the final two innings to get within one of the lead on Sunday afternoon. Taylor Murphy hit a two-run home run to right in the eighth off Zach Quintana, and Yu-Cheng Chang had a RBI single to left in the ninth off Evan Phillips.

Quintana pitched through an one and 2/3 innings and finished his appearance with two hits allowed, two runs allowed, two walks and two strikeouts. 

Phillips (S, 4) worked the end of the eighth and escaped with an inherited runner left on base. He also pitched a scoreless ninth and earned his fourth save of the season.

The Mudcats won two of three against the Hillcats in the series and finished their home stand at 4-1. The Mudcats moved to a game below .500 with the victory and next play on the road in Salem against the Red Sox on Monday night. RHP Max Povse will start for Carolina in Monday's series opener in Salem against the Red Sox. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at LewisGale Field in Virginia.

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