BayBears' Goldschmidt goes deep twice

The Class A Advanced California League is known to generate inflated power numbers. But Thursday night, the circuit's 2010 MVP Paul Goldschmidt emphatically proved his stats were no fluke.

The former eighth-round Diamondbacks pick homered twice and drove in four runs in his Southern League debut Thursday as Mobile spoiled Carolina's home opener by rallying to a 7-4 victory.

Goldschmidt, who entered the season with 53 homers and 170 RBIs in 212 Minor League games, opened the scoring with two outs in the first inning, depositing a 2-1 pitch from Carolina starter Daryl Thompson over the left-field wall. It was his first at-bat at the Double-A level.

Carolina responded with three runs in the second and tacked on a fourth in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Mudcats third baseman Mike Costanzo went 3-for-3 with a triple, two doubles and an RBI, while veteran outfielder David Cook delivered a two-run shot in his first game in the Cincinnati system.

The BayBears turned a walk, a stolen base, an error and a single into a run in the eighth, then blew the game open with a five-run ninth.

Shortstop Taylor Harbin, who went 3-for-4, opened the frame with a single off Mudcats reliever Donnie Joseph. Jacob Elmore followed with a single and Mark Hallberg drove them both home with a pinch-hit double. After a groundout and a bunt single, Goldschmidt came up with men on the corners and one out.

The Texas State product, who had popped up, walked and struck out in three appearances since his first-inning longball, again crushed a 2-1 pitch for a three-run blast and a 7-4 BayBears advantage.

Mobile reliever Kyler Newby (1-0) notched the win with two no-hit frames. He walked two and struck out two in the seventh and eighth. Bryan Shaw allowed one hit in the ninth to pick up the save.

Joseph (0-1) suffered the loss for Carolina. The left-hander yielded five runs on five hits while fanning a pair in the ninth.