Medeiros tosses gem as Mudcats win second straight

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Kodi Medeiros started and worked through six scoreless, Corey Ray homered in the first and Lucas Erceg broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run double in the eighth as the Mudcats defeated the Pelicans 4-1 on Tuesday night in Myrtle Beach. 

The victory lifted the Mudcats (50-50, 14-18) back to a .500 record on the year and was their second straight against the Pelicans (55-46, 12-19) in the current series.
Medeiros started for Carolina and worked through his best start of the season after holding the Pelicans scoreless through six full innings. He scattered four hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter while pitching to a season high 71 game score. 
Ray gave Medeiros an early lead to work with after launching a solo home run to right in the first off Pelicans' starter Kyle Miller. The home run was Ray's fifth of the season and resulted in his first of two runs in the game.
Miller allowed just the one first inning hit and allowed only two hits overall in his four inning start. He also allowed just the one run, walked four and struck out six in the game for Myrtle Beach.
Carolina led 1-0 all the way through Medeiros' six inning outing, but an unearned run scored off reliever Eric Hanhold tied the game in the seventh.
The Pelicans tied the game at 1-1 in the seventh when pinch-hitter Vimael Machin singled to start the frame against Hanhold. Machin later went on to score from second on a two-out throwing error to first by Luis Aviles Jr.. The error came on a grounder to short hit by Zack Short and was Aviles' second of the game.
Hanhold (6-2, 4.47) ended up pitching through two innings for the Mudcats and allowed just the one unearned run on two hits. He was charged with the blown save, but also earned the victory while improving to 6-0 as a reliever this season.
The 1-1 tie did not last long as the Mudcats rallied for two runs in the eighth on a two-run double to deep right-center from Erceg off Myrtle Beach reliever Jordan Minch. Erceg's double scored both Ray and Isan Díaz who had reached on an infield single and a walk respectively earlier in the inning. Troy Stokes Jr. later added on one more run in the ninth with a RBI single as the Mudcats took a 4-1 lead.
Minch (0-3, 3.09) allowed all three Carolina runs over the eighth and ninth while suffering the loss. He gave up a total of three hits and three runs (two earned) while also walking one and striking out one in his appearance.
Reliever Scott Effross pitched the middle three innings of the game following Miller for the Pelicans. Effross held the Mudcats scoreless and struck out three in the game for the Pelicans.
Nate Griep pitched the ninth for the Mudcats and earned his league leading 18th save of the season after inducing a 5-4-3 double play to end the game.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats will look for the three game series sweep with a victory on Wednesday night in Myrtle Beach. Carolina will have Conor Harber (2-7, 5.40) on the mound for the game three of three start against the Pelicans at 7:05 p.m. at TicketReturn.Com Field. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
# # #