Whitenack Hurls Gem, Shuts Down Hillcats, 5-0

Lynchburg, Va. - Robert Whitenack allowed one hit over six innings as the Carolina Mudcats blanked the Lynchburg Hillcats 5-0 on Friday night at Calvin Falwell Field. The Mudcats (34-33, 56-81) took the series by winning three of four. The Hillcats fall to 33-34 in the second half and 69-67 overall.

Whitenack (1-3) walked three and struck out five with the only hit being an infield single to the shortstop. Josh Martin pitched the final three frames for his second save. He allowed two hits and fanned one.

Jarett Miller (9-8) absorbed the loss for the Hillcats despite a strong beginning. The Mudcats scored four off the right-hander in the seventh to blur his final line. Overall, Miller allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits. He walked one and struck out five.

Todd Hankins and Tony Wolters combined for the first run in the third. Hankins drew a leadoff walk and stole second. A flyout to right by Bryson Myles advanced Hankins to third. Wolters hit a bounder to first and Hankins scored on the groundout.

Leading 1-0 in the seventh, the Mudcats broke the game open with four runs. Wolters came through for Carolina again as he blooped a two-out single to left that scored two. A fielding error by Matt Weaver allowed another run and Wolters moved to second.

Joey Wendle followed with a high chop up the middle. Second baseman Emerson Landoni made a play on the hop, but his throw was wild past first. Wolters scored the final tally on the error.

The Mudcats begin their final series of the season in Myrtle Beach on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Cole Cook is scheduled to start against left-hander Luis Parra. Carolina opens the 2014 season with a home game against Potomac Nationals on Thursday, April 14, 2014.