Dash Dominate Mudcats in Doubleheader Sweep

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Winston-Salem's Yermin Mercedes hit a two-run home run in game one and later hit a three-run homer during a six run frame in game two as the Dash swept Saturday's de facto doubleheader 2-1 and 11-3 respectively on Saturday night at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.

Mercedes led the way for the Dash (31-25) as his two-run homer in game one accounted for both runs of a 2-1, game one victory. He went 2-for-3 with a home run, a run and two RBI in game one, before later going 2-for-3 again with a home run, a run and three RBI in an 11-3 game two victory versus the Mudcats (27-28). His three-run homer in game two came at the end of a six run, fifth inning that saw the Dash break open the second game of Saturday's unconventional doubleheader.
Game one originally began on Friday night, but was suspended in the second after heavy rain stopped play. The game then resumed in the Carolina half of the second and with reliever Kyle Kubat on the mound for the Dash. 
Kubat (2-0, 1.20) inherited a runner at second in Ronnie Gideon when he came in, but eventually escaped his first inning without allowing a run. The same would not be true for reliever Victor Diaz after he checked into the game in place of starter Conor Harber in the Winston-Salem half of the second. Diaz (2-3, 4.15) gave up a two-run home run to Mercedes in the second, while seeing the Dash take a 2-0 lead in the game.
Diaz went on to work beyond the second as he pitched the remainder of the game, while totaling a season high seven innings pitched. In all, he gave up just the two runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out four in the loss. Harber started, but ended up pitching just the first inning before rain suspended Friday's game. He finished his short start with strikeout and just 11 pitches (seven strikes) thrown.
Carolina's lone run in their game one loss came in the sixth when Tucker Neuhaus came through with a run scoring hit off reliever Drew Hasler. Neuhaus also tripled in the first and finished the game 2-for-4 with a RBI. 
Hasler was the only reliever the Mudcats found any sort of success against in game one as they totaled a run and two hits against him over two innings. Kubat was the first out of the bullpen for the Dash and earned the win after working through three and 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Zach Thompson earned his first save of the season after striking out four over two innings pitched. Jimmy Lambert started the game and finished with four strikeouts and two hits allowed in an inning a 1/3 scoreless frames.
The second game of Saturday's doubleheader began with Tanner Banks getting the start for the Dash and Nathan Kirby going for the Mudcats. Banks (4-2, 2.86) started things with a scoreless first and went on to work through four straight scoreless and no-hit innings before allowing three runs and three hits in the fifth. In all, Banks pitched through six innings and allowed just three runs on three hits, while also striking out 10 against two walks.
Carolina's three run fifth came after the Dash had already taken a 9-0 lead in the game. They started things with a single and a run from Joel Booker in the first and later scored twice more when Booker brought in two with a two-out, run scoring hit in the second. Carlos Belonis and Dallas Carroll both had run scoring hits in the fifth, Carroll's hit brought in Aviles and Carroll's scored both Cooper Hummel and Belonis.
The loss went to Kirby (0-4, 6.39) as he allowed all three early Winston-Salem runs between the first and second innings. He also walked two, struck out one and allowed five hits, while reaching a season high 55 pitches (31 strikes) over two and 2/3 innings pitched.
Braulio Ortiz followed Kirby in the fourth and managed to escape the frame quickly while leaving two runners on base. Ortiz also went on to retire two straight in the fifth, but then walked four straight batters before leaving the game. Chase Williams was brought in out of the bullpen and ended up giving up a two-run double to Blake Rutherford, before then allowing a three-run home run to Mercedes.
Ortiz ended up pitching through a full inning in the game and was charged with four earned runs on no hits and four walks. Williams, meanwhile, also allowed four earned runs and gave up six hits over an inning and 1/3. Phil Bickford later pitched the sixth and was able to finish with a strikeout while facing four batters.
Winston-Salem scored six runs in the fourth to take a 9-0 lead and later scored two more in the fifth while going up 11-3 in the game. Blake Hickman pitched the final frame for the Dash and finished the game by getting Mario Feliciano to hit into a double play with the bases loaded in the final frame.
The Mudcats fell a game below .500 on the season after being swept in Saturday's doubleheader. They also dropped to 2-3 in their current six game road trip. 
Carolina's series with the Dash will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.
The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, the Big Dawg 98.5 FM and via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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