Carolina Unable to Overcome Early Deficit in 6-4 Loss to Dash

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Brice Turang went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, Mario Feliciano drove in a run while going 1-for-3 and Wes Rogers went 2-for-4 with a double, but the Dash scored six early runs while holding off the Mudcats with a series tying 6-4 victory on Saturday at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.

The Dash (20-22, 58-48) scored early and often in Saturday's middle game of the three-game series as they scored four times in the first before scoring two more runs in the second while taking an early 6-0 lead against starter Matt Smith and the Mudcats (18-25, 57-55). Carolina eventually rallied back with two runs in the fifth and two runs in the eighth while scoring four unanswered runs overall, but the Dash went on to hold off the rally while leveling the series at a game apiece.
Smith (L, 4-9, 3.69) took the loss after allowing all six early runs over the first two innings. He allowed four runs in the first, including two on a run scoring double from Craig Dedelow and back-to-back sacrifice flies from Jameson Fisher and Carlos Perez. A two-run home run, meanwhile, from Mitch Roman in the second brought in two more runs as the Mudcats fell behind 6-0 in the game. The homer was Roman's first and the 13th allowed by Smith this season.
The Dash scored their six runs on four hits over the first two innings, but went on to total just one other hit the rest of the way as Smith and relievers Phil Bickford and Peter Strzelecki kept the Winston-Salem offense in check over the remainder of the ballgame.
In all, Smith struck out three, walked two and allowed six runs on five hits over five innings pitched. Bickford worked the sixth and seventh and struck out four over his two scoreless frames. The recently promoted Strzelecki then worked the eighth and struck out one in his scoreless Carolina debut.
Left-hander Konnor Pilkington started for the Dash and had worked through four no-hit innings before allowing three hits and Carolina runs in the fifth. Eddie Silva started that rally with a leadoff single to center before moving to second on a one-out single from Rogers. Turang then came through with a two-out run scoring single to center as Carolina cut the lead down to 6-2.
Pilkington (W, 3-8, 5.73) went on to finish the fifth with a line out to right from Feliciano and pitched through six full innings with two runs allowed on three hits. He also walked two and struck out seven while earning the victory.
Relievers Wyatt Burns and Bennett Sousa combined on the final three frames for Winston-Salem. Burns first pitched a scoreless seventh before allowing two runs and three Carolina hits in the eighth. Sousa (S, 4) then pitched around a double from Rogers in the ninth while closing out the game for the Dash.
Carolina's two run eighth began with a single from Zach Clark and continued with Turang's second hit of the game. Feliciano then brought in Clark with single to left-center and Payton Henry went on to drive in Carolina's final run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right while scoring Turang from third.
The Mudcats scored four unanswered runs in the loss, but were not able to overcome the early deficit. Winston-Salem's victory leveled the series at a game apiece and gave them a 6-4 lead in the overall season series between the two teams.
The three-game series will conclude on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. with LHP Aaron Ashby (2-5, 3.55) making the start for the Mudcats at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.
The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. The game will also stream live in full high-definition video on MiLB.tv via Minor League Baseball's subscription service.
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