Henry Blasts Three-Run Homer as Mudcats Win Third Straight 6-4 in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Payton Henry blasted a three-run home run in the third, Nelson Hernandez worked through five innings while earning his fifth win, Cody Beckman struck out four over two and 1/3 and Rodrigo Benoit picked up his eighth save as the Mudcats won their third straight game 6-4 on Saturday night in Fayetteville.

Carolina (26-16) moved to 4-2 in its current road trip with Saturday's victory and clinched a series win after taking a two games to none lead in the three game series versus Fayetteville (19-23). The Mudcats also pulled within 2.5 games of first place Down East as the Wood Ducks lost to Winston-Salem shortly after Carolina's road victory in Fayetteville.
Saturday's game was scoreless through two before Henry started the scoring with a two-out, three-run home run off starter Chad Donato in the third. The three-run, opposite field blast to right was Henry's sixth home run of the season and brought his RBI total to 29 on the year. 
Carolina led 3-0 after three, but added to their lead with a run scoring single in the fourth from Devin Hairston while going up 4-0 on Donato (L, 3-5, 5.67) and the Woodpeckers. Hairston's single brought in Zach Clark who had doubled earlier in the inning. Clark went 2-for-4 with a run and Hairston was 1-for-3 with a RBI in Saturday's game.
Carolina's 4-0 lead quickly disappeared in the fourth, however, as Hernandez (W, 5-1, 5.21) went on to allow four runs and four hits in the inning. Hernandez originally began his start by retiring nine straight, but then gave up back-to-back singles and a walked a better to start the fourth. He then struck out Jake Adams, but went on to give up run scoring hits to both Colton Shaver and Scott Manea in the inning. Fayetteville pulled within one of the lead and Shaver and Manea's hits. They then tied the game 4-4 later in the inning on a sacrifice fly from Scott Schrieber. 
Donato, meanwhile, remained in the game for the fifth, but ended up losing the 4-4 tie after allowing two more Carolina runs in the inning. Ryan Aguilar started Carolina's two run fifth with a single and was joined on the bags moments later on a walk by Tristen Lutz. Henry also followed with a walk and Fayetteville would then pull Donato (4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO) and bring in reliever Tommy DeJuneas. Mario Feliciano and Pat McInerney then followed with back-to-back sac flies and the Mudcats would then go out in front 6-4 in the game.
Aguilar singled and scored in Carolina's two run fifth and went 3-for-5 with two runs in the game. Feliciano drove in one in Saturday's game and currently owns a team high 30 RBI this season.
Hernandez held the Carolina lead through the fifth, but left the game after reaching his pitch limit before the sixth. In all, Hernandez struck out six, walked two and allowed four runs on five hits over five full innings. 
Beckman followed out of the Carolina bullpen and went on to pitch through two and 1/3 innings with just one hit allowed and four strikeouts. He retired six straight between the sixth and seventh before giving up a hit in the eighth.
Benoit (S, 8) then took over with one out in the eighth in place of Beckman and went on to work through the next inning and 2/3 while closing the game for the Mudcats. Benoit finished the eighth unscathed and then pitched around a base runner in the ninth by getting Michael Papierski to line out to the mound and into a double play to end the game.
The Fayetteville bullpen, consisting of DeJuneas and Willy Collado, also pitched well in Saturday's game. DeJuneas struck out five over three scoreless innings and Collado struck out four over two scoreless frames.
The Mudcats will look for a sweep while closing the series on Sunday afternoon beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville. Sunday's game is also Carolina's road trip finale as the Mudcats are currently 4-2 in the trip. 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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