Guilarte, Garcia Homer As Mudcats Snap Losing Streak in Series Finale

Carolina Mudcats 4 - Salem Red Sox 3

Box Score

ZEBULON, NC – The Carolina Mudcats (15-6) got two big swings from Daniel Guilarte and Yhoswar Garcia and a terrific relief appearance from Josh Timmerman Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium that helped secure a 4-3 win over the Salem Red Sox (9-12). Carolina snaps a three-game losing streak and forces a split with Salem as they have not lost a series yet in 2024.

The Red Sox once again opened the scoring as Mudcats starter Bishop Letson allowed a solo home run to Marvin Alcantara with two outs in the top of the first. Letson settled in after the long ball, surrendering just the one run on three hits over three innings. Carolina got the run back in the bottom of the second when Juan Baez scored on a Noah Dean (L, 0-1) wild pitch.

In the bottom of the third, Guilarte stepped to the plate with one out and drove a 3-1 pitch from Dean over the wall in right for his second home run of the season. However, Salem answered in the fourth when Nelly Taylor scored on a double play ball to knot things at two. Needing another big hit, the Mudcats got one from Garcia as the former Phillies farmhand blasted a solo shot for his first home run with the Brewers organization to put his team back in front.

The lead remained with Carolina thanks to Timmerman (W, 2-0), who went four scoreless innings in relief and struck out six batters. The Mudcats' advantage grew to two in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single from Baez, set up by a Tayden Hall triple, his third hit of the game. Hall finished the contest a home run shy of the cycle.

Timmerman departed ahead of the ninth in favor of Morris Austin (SV, 1). A Baez error and back-to-back singles for the Red Sox loaded the bases with one out. Austin then walked Andy Lugo to cut the lead to one with Miguel Bleis coming to the plate, but the Brewers 2023 16th round pick came up clutch and got Bleis to ground into a game-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Carolina gets Monday off before beginning another six-game home series with the Columbia Fireflies on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM for the series opener.

Single-game tickets, season ticket packages, mini plans, group options, as well as luxury suite packages and DRB Homes Sky Lounge reservations in the US Foods Club Level are also still available now by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com, by calling (919) 269-2287, and by visiting the Five County Stadium front office in Zebulon.