Carolina Loses Season High Fifth Straight 10-5 in Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Wes Rogers went 3-for-4 with his second home run of the season and Eddies Silva hit a three-run homer while going 2-for-4, but the Mudcats lost their fifth straight 10-5 to the Dash in Winston-Salem on Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark. 

The Mudcats (29-24) fell into third place behind the Dash (29-23) in the Carolina League Southern Division first half standings with Thursday night loss in Winston-Salem. The loss also stretched Carolina's losing streak to a season high five straight games.
Carolina did lead first in the game as Rogers got his club going early for the second straight night after he singled, stole second and scored on a double hit by Tristen Lutz in the first. The Dash, however, came back with a run to tie the game when Tyler Frost hit an inside-the-park home run off Matt Smith.
The game was locked at 1-1 through two and into the third before Frost singled and scored on a two-out single to right-center from Steele Walker. The Dash and starter Cristian Castillo led 2-1 after the third and into the fourth, but Rogers struck again as he connected on a home run to left to tie the game. 
Rogers's game tying homer was his second of the season and was his third hit of the game. He started Thursday's game 3-for-3 with a walk; stretching his on-base streak to eight straight plate appearances as he also went 3-for-3 with a walk in the previous game on Wednesday night. Rogers eventually snapped that streak after going down on strikes in the eighth. Through two games in the series, Rogers is 6-for-7 with three runs, a home run and a RBI.
The game was locked at 2-2 heading into the Dash half of the fifth, but Winston-Salem went on rally for six runs to break the game open by taking an 8-2 lead. 
Smith (L, 1-5, 4.50) faced three batters in the fifth and left the game after allowing a hit and walking Walker on four straight pitches. Christian Taugner followed out of the Carolina bullpen and went on to allow both inherited runners to score and four other runs while recording just two outs in his appearance. 
Smith took the loss while allowing four runs on six hits over four and 1/3 innings. He also walked two and struck out three while reaching 74 pitches (65 strikes). Castillo (W, 4-5, 3.64) earned the victory after pitching through five innings with two runs allowed on eight hits. He also walked one and struck out four.
Taugner, meanwhile, gave up a two-run double to Zach Remillard, hit Carlos Perez with the bases loaded to force in a run and allowed a bases loaded, three-run double to Jordan George in the fifth before also leaving the game. In all, Taugner allowed four runs on three hits, walked two and struck out one while using 36 pitches (20 strikes) to record the two outs needed to end the fifth.
Winston-Salem brought across one more run in the sixth to take a 9-2 lead in the game, but Silva brought the Mudcats back within four of the lead with a three-run home run in the seventh. The Silva home run scored both Tristen Lutz and Payton Henry and cut the Dash lead down to 9-5. 
The Dash eventually scored once more in the last of the seventh to take their 10-5 lead in the game. Both of Winston-Salem's final two runs were scored off of reliever Michael Petersen as he entered the game in the sixth in place of Taugner. Petersen pitched through two innings overall with two runs (one earned) allowed on three hits and two walks. He also struck out four while working the seventh.
Reliever Cody Beckman eventually pitched the eighth and was able to work around two hits with three strikeouts while pitching through a scoreless frame. 
Both the Mudcats and Dash used four pitchers in the game as Vince Arobio, Esorcia and Will Kincanon each appeared out of the pen for the Dash following Castillo's start. Arobio worked a scoreless sixth with one hit allowed, a walk and three strikeouts. Escorcia allowed Silva's three-run homer, but gave up just two hits, walked one and struck out one in his lone inning. Kincanon then pitched the final two frames and finished with three walks and two strikeouts to finish the game.
The Dash took a two games to one lead in the series with Thursday's game two of four victory. They also moved into second place; knocking Carolina to third for the first time since late April. The loss was Carolina's fifth straight and moved them to 7.0 games back of first place in the first half standings.
The series will continue with game three on Friday night in Winston-Salem. RHP Noah Zavolas (2-2, 3.25) will get the start for the Mudcats on Friday night. The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
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