MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Lucas Erceg hit a grand slam in the third and was 3-for-5 with a career five RBIs while leading the Mudcats to a sweep clinching 8-2 victory against the Pelicans on Wednesday night in Myrtle Beach.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Lucas Erceg hit a grand slam in the third and was 3-for-5 with a career five RBIs while leading the Mudcats to a sweep clinching 8-2 victory against the Pelicans on Wednesday night in Myrtle Beach.
The victory clinched Carolina's fourth series sweep of the season and brought the Mudcats (51-50, 15-18) into a 3-2 finish in their five game road trip.
Conor Harber started and earned the victory after holding the Pelicans (55-47, 12-20) to a run on four hits over five innings pitched. Harber (3-7, 5.12) walked two, struck out four and reached 90 pitches in the victorious outing.
The game was scoreless through the second, but the Mudcats went on to open things up with a five run inning while taking the lead against starter Justin Steele and the Pelicans in the third. Steele (6-7, 2.99) allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings and took the loss.
Corey Ray started the third inning rally by reaching on a double before later scoring on a RBI single to left from Isan Díaz. Jake Gatewood then walked, and with the bases loaded, Erceg followed with a grand slam to right.
The grand slam was the first of Erceg's career and the fourth hit by the Mudcats this season. Carolina led 5-0 after the Erceg blast and later added two unearned runs in the sixth when Diaz reached on a two base error that scored both Luis Aviles Jr. and Ray.
Carolina led 7-1 after its half of the sixth and later took an 8-1 lead when Erceg drove in one more in the ninth with a RBI single to right. Troy Stokes Jr. scored on Erceg's hit in the ninth and was 1-for-4 with two runs in the game. Ray also scored twice and was 3-for-5 with a double.
Connor Myers scored both Myrtle Beach runs in the game, but was 0-for-3 overall. He led off the fifth with a walk and scored on a Vimael Machin RBI single to center and scored again in the ninth on a RBI double from Roberto Caro.
Harber gave up the just the one run in the fifth before leaving the game after five. Trey Supak then followed out of the bullpen and went on to work through three scoreless with four strikeouts. Luke Barker later pitched the ninth and allowed just the one run on one hit and one walk.
Relievers Tommy Thorpe, David Berg and Pedro Araujo pitched the final four innings for the Pelicans and combined to allowed three unearned runs on four hits. Thorpe worked through the sixth and seventh with three strikeouts and two unearned runs allowed on two hits. Berg pitched a scoreless eighth and Araujo struck out two against one unearned run and two hits in the ninth.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats return home to Five County Stadium on Thursday night for game one of a seven game home stand versus the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Down East Wood Ducks. Carolina brings a three game winning streak into Thursday's 7:00 p.m. home game in Zebulon against the Blue Rocks. 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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