Mudcats Close Out Half With 3-2 Victory in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Cooper Hummel went 2-for-4 with a RBI, Dallas Carroll doubled and scored a run, Conor Harber earned a quality start and Luke Barker picked up the save as the Mudcats defeated the Pelicans 3-2 in their first half and series finale in Myrtle Beach on Sunday night.

With the victory, the Mudcats (34-36) closed out their first half schedule with a four games to one series victory over the Pelicans (34-36) at TicketReturn.com Field. They also closed out their final road trip of the half at 5-3.
Harber (2-3, 2.59) earned the victory after working through six innings with six hits, two runs and two walks allowed. Relievers Daniel Brown and Luke Barker followed and went on to hold the Pelicans scoreless over the final three innings while finishing off Carolina's first half and series finale victory in Myrtle Beach.
The Mudcats loaded the bases in the third and managed to bring across the game's first run when Ryan Aguilar scored on a force out hit into by Carroll. Aguilar had started the frame with a one-out walk and was later joined on the bags when starter Bryan Hudson hit Nick Roscetti with a pitch, before then walking Joantgel Segovia to load the bases. Hudson (4-6, 5.60) then saw Carroll force in the game's first run with his grounder to third.
Carolina led 1-0 after its half of the third, but the Pelicans answered right back as Yelier Peguero doubled in Conor Myers from first to tie the game at 1-1. Peguero had attempted to stretch his RBI double into a triple in the third, but was caught at third on a 9-4-5 relay from right between Aguilar, Roscetti and Carroll. Myrtle Beach settled with a run on two hits in the third to tie the game at 1-1.
Hummel later broke the 1-1 tie when he brought in Mario Feliciano from third with a two-out RBI single in the fourth. Feliciano originally started the frame by reaching on catcher interference. He then stole second and moved to third on a groundout by Tucker Neuhaus.
Hummel's run scoring hit in the fourth gave Carolina a 2-1 lead in the game and was his first of two hits in the game. He was the only Mudcat with more than one hit in the game. 
Carolina totaled five hits in the game, including a double from Carroll that eventually turned into a run when Weston Wilson forced him in with a RBI groundout in the fifth. Carroll was 1-for-4 with a run, a RBI and a double in Sunday's series finale victory.
The Pelicans eventually rallied and nearly tied the game after getting a couple of hits and a run off Harber in the sixth. Peguero started the frame with a single to right, D.J. Wilson then walked and a sacrifice bunt dropped down by Aramis Ademan would eventually put runners at second and third with one out in the frame. Andruw Monasterio then brought in a run with a single to right to cut the lead to 3-2 and then a lineout to center from Jhonny Pereda nearly tied the game as Wilson attempted to tag and score from third. Wilson did cross home, but the Mudcats appealed the tag and won, thus creating an inning ending double play to end the threat.
The Carolina lead was cut down to 3-2 after the one run sixth, but Brown and Barker would combine on three scoreless frames out of the bullpen to hold the one run lead and close out the series finale victory.
Brown (H, 2) pitched around a leadoff walk in the seventh while facing just four batters in the inning. He then retired two in the eighth before giving way to Barker who then went on to earn a four out save. Barker retired four straight, including a strikeout of Kevonte Mitchell to end the game while earning his sixth save of the season.
The Mudcats ended up taking four of five in the series in Myrtle Beach and finished their final road trip of the first half at 5-3.They previously lost two of three in Buies Creek to start the trip before going 4-1 in their final road series of the first half against the Pelicans.
By winning four of their final five games, the Mudcats closed out the first half at 34-26 and tied for fourth (with Myrtle Beach) in the Southern Division first half standings. They also ended up 7.0 games out of first behind the first champion Winston-Salem Dash.
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