Seventh-Inning Rally Gives Mudcats Thrilling Win in Series Opener

Carolina Mudcats 4 - Salem Red Sox 2

Box Score

ZEBULON, NC – The Carolina Mudcats (13-3) found themselves needing another comeback on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium and once again, their offense delivered late. Trailing 2-0, the Mudcats scored four times in the bottom of the seventh to stun the Salem Red Sox (6-10) 4-2 in this week's series opener. Carolina improves to 4-0 on the season against the Red Sox.

Mudcats starter Manuel Rodriguez (L, 0-3) was terrific over his first five innings on the mound, keeping the Red Sox off the scoreboard. However, Salem struck first in the top of the sixth against the 18-year-old. Antonio Anderson drove in Nazzan Zanatello on a sac fly before Marvin Alcantara doubled the lead with a base hit. With a man on first and one out, righty K.C. Hunt (W, 2-0) came out of the bullpen and did his job, grabbing the final two outs and getting his team back into the dugout.

Carolina was stumped by Red Sox starter Blake Wehunt, who shut the Mudcats out over five frames. Reliever Nathanael Cruz (L, 0-2) blanked Carolina in the sixth, but a getaway fastball with one out hit David Garcia and gave the Mudcats their opportunity to pounce.

Yhoswar Garcia followed with a base hit to left before Miguel Briceno delivered an RBI single to cut the Salem lead in half. The next batter was Juan Baez, who hit a fly ball down the right field line that dropped fair into the corner. Garcia scored to tie the game and Briceno hustled all the way in from first to propel Carolina into the lead on what was a two-run triple for Baez. Two batters later, Tayden Hall lined one sharply up the middle off new Red Sox arm JoJo Ingrassia to score Baez and cap off the big inning.

The two-run lead was more than enough for both Hunt and Mudcats closer Blake Whiting (SV, 3). Hunt pitched a 1-2-3 eighth before handing the ball over to Whiting, who walked the leadoff man before striking out the side to secure Carolina's seventh win this year after trailing earlier in the ballgame.

The two teams will have a quick turnaround into the second of six games this week. RHP Daniel Corniel gets the start for the Mudcats while the Red Sox send RHP Matt Duffy to the mound. It's Education Day at Five County Stadium with an 11:00 AM first pitch scheduled for Wednesday.

Single-game tickets, season ticket packages, mini plans, group options, as well as luxury suite packages and DRB Homes Sky Lounge reservations in the US Foods Club Level are also still available now by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com, by calling (919) 269-2287, and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon.