Mahtook's blast ends Charlotte's skid

PORT CHARLOTTE -- The Charlotte Stone Crabs snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday night at Charlotte Sports Park. Mikie Mahtook's two-run home run in the eighth broke a 2-2 tie and lifted Charlotte to victory in the opener of the three-game set.

After allowing eight runs in 3-2/3 innings to Brevard County in his last outing, C.J. Riefenhauser rebounded by permitting just one run on Wednesday. He struck out seven in his five innings of work, but did not factor in the decision.

The Hammerheads loaded the bases with just one down in the first inning, but Riefenhauser struck out Marcell Ozuna on just three pitches before inducing a pop fly to right by Dallas Poulk to quell the would-be rally.

Jupiter threatened again in the third when J.T. Realmuto walked with one out, and after Christian Yelich struck out, Mark Canha lined a hard single into left. Brett Nommensen fielded it on a hop and fired toward the plate as Realmuto rounded third, but Riccio Torrez cut the throw off and relayed the ball home in time to cut down Realmuto and preserve the scoreless tie.

The Stone Crabs grabbed the lead in the fourth. With two away and Torrez on second, Kevin Kiermaier grounded a single past a diving Canha at first and into right field, scoring Torrez with the first run of the ballgame.

With Alejandro Torres at the plate, Kiermaier stole both second and third. Realmuto's throw to third base skipped away Taylor Krick and rolled up the left field line to allow Kiermaier to score Charlotte's second run.

After Riefenhauser allowed an infield single to open the sixth, George Jensen was summoned into the game. The Hammerheads loaded the bases against Jensen with one out, before pinch-hitter Noah Perio lifted a sacrifice fly to center to cut the Charlotte lead in half. Ryan Fisher delivered a single to center that chased home Dallas Poulk with the tying run.

The score would remain 2-2 until the home half of the eighth.

After Hector Guevara reached on an infield single with one out, Mikie Mahtook drove a payoff pitch from reliever Raudel Lazo over the wall in left for his second home run of the year. That blast gave the Stone Crabs a 4-2 lead.

Lazo (4-1) suffered his first loss after allowing two runs on two hits in his inning of work.

Jimmy Patterson (3-2) entered the game for Charlotte in the seventh and held the Hammerheads down through two perfect innings of relief. Up 4-2 in the ninth, the Stone Crabs called upon Chris Rearick, who allowed just one hit in the frame to earn his 10th save.

The Stone Crabs will look to take the series on Wednesday when Grayson Garvin (2-3) will toe the rubber for Charlotte, opposed by Rett Varner (1-1) for Jupiter. Wednesday will also be the first-ever Bark in the Park night at Charlotte Sports Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.