Mendez homers in 3-2 road loss

WILMINGTON, DE - Wilmington's Brandon Downes hit a two-run triple in the first, also scored a run in the third and threw out a runner at the plate in the fourth while helping the Blue Rocks to a 3-2 win versus the Mudcats at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium in Wilmington on Saturday night.

The win stretched Wilmington's current winning streak to six straight games and ran Carolina's losing streak to six as well. The loss also pushed Carolina's current road losing streak to 14 consecutive games overall (one short of matching a franchise record).

Ryan Clark started for Carolina (45-81, 16-40) and allowed just the three Wilmington runs over five innings and took the loss. He gave up Downes' two run triple in the first and a RBI single to Elier Hernandez in the third, but scattered four hits overall, walked two and struck out five in the loss.

Downes lifted the Blue Rocks (49-76, 22-43) and starter Matt Tenuta into the early lead after getting two across in the first with a triple to left. The run scoring extra base hit came after Clark (1-13, 5.99) walked Andrew Miller and hit Samir Duenez with a pitch. Downes was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run. 

Tenuta (7-8, 5.13) earned the win after holding Carolina to just one unearned run over five and 1/3 innings pitched. He gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out four in the victory. Carolina's only run against Tenuta came in the fifth and was brought in when Keith Curcio grounded into a force out.

Relievers Jacob Bodner and Luis Rico followed him and managed to hold the lead despite allowing one more Carolina run in the ninth. Bodner worked through one and 2/3 scoreless and Rico went two innings and earned the save.

Erison Mendez homered off Rico in the ninth to cut the lead to 3-2, but Carolina left two other runners on while coming up a run short in the comeback attempt. The home run was the first for Mendez in his professional career. Mendez was 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI. Luis Valenzuela was 3-for-4 and J.B. Moss, Kade Scivicque and Tanner Murphy each had hits for Carolina in the loss.

Ryan Lawlor and Chad Sobotka pitched the final three frames for the Mudcats. Lawlor pitched through two scoreless with two walks and two strikeouts. Sobotka pitched the eighth and struck out the side.

The series concludes on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. in Wilmington. Enderson Franco (5-10, 4.75) will start for the Mudcats against Wilmington's Foster Griffin (4-8, 6.18).

Carolina Mudcats games air over the radio on The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and are streamed online at www.carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio and the TuneIn Radio app. All home games are additionally streamed live in high definition video and live game audio via MiLB.tv.

Tickets to all Carolina Mudcats games 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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