Erceg & Clark launch big flies in 9-3 victory

ZEBULON, N.C. - Lucas Erceg hit a two-run home run in the first, Trent Clark hit a solo home run in the fourth and Cody Ponce pitched through his ninth quality start of the season while leading the Mudcats to a 9-3 series opening win versus the Dash at Five County Stadium on Friday night.

The Mudcats (5-4, 41-36) originally trailed 1-0 entering their half of the first after Winston-Salem's leadoff man Jameson Fisher started the game with a solo home run off Ponce (7-5, 3.43). Erceg, however, later answered with his two-run home run to right off Dash (5-4, 29-50) starter Jimmy Lambert and the Mudcats led 2-1 after the first. 
Erceg struck again in the third after moving Ray in from third by hitting into a force out. Clark then homered to left and the Mudcats led 4-1 after the fourth against Lambert (1-1, 4.09) and the Dash. 
Erceg was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run in the series opening home win for the Mudcats. The home run was his seventh overall and fourth against the Dash this season. Clark also had two hits and was 2-for-2 with two runs, two walks and his seventh home run of the year.
Max McDowell drove in two and was 1-for-3, Corey Ray was 2-for-5 with a run and both Monte Harrison and Troy Stokes Jr. were 1-for-4 with a run as well in the game.
Lambert stayed in for the sixth, but would depart after seeing both Jonathan Oquendo and Monte Harrison start the frame with back-to-back hits. Clark followed with a walk and Lambert left with the bags full and no outs in the inning. Reliever Zach Thompson took over out of the bullpen and immediately gave up a sacrifice fly to McDowell and lost a wild pitch while allowing two inherited runners to score. 
In all, Lambert was charged with six runs (five earned) while giving up eight hits over five innings. He also walked two and struck out two in his second start with the Dash.
Ponce rolled with the lead and pitched into the seventh with just one run allowed before leaving the game with two men on in the seventh. Both runners eventually scored against reliever Scott Grist, but Ponce finished with just three runs allowed and the Mudcats leading 6-3.
Ponce struck out six, walked three and allowed three runs on four hits over six and 1/3 innings while earning his second straight victory.
Grist also pitched the eighth, but left with runners at first and third and two outs in the frame. Nate Griep followed out of the bullpen and managed to strike out Telvin Nash to end the inning with two men stranded and the Mudcats still leading 6-3.
Carolina later broke the game open with a three run third that included a RBI double from McDowell and back-to-back run scoring wild pitches lost by Thompson.
Thompson allowed three runs and two hits over two innings in the game for the Dash. He also walked one and struck out four.
Griep (S, 16) came back out for the ninth and finished the frame without allowing a base runner and picked up his Carolina League leading 16th save of the season.
UP NEXT: The series will continue on Saturday night at Five County Stadium with the first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. Right-hander Marcos Diplan (4-4, 5.77) will start for Carolina in game two of the four game set on Saturday night. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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