Mudcats End Three Game Skid With 3-2 Home Win

ZEBULON, N.C. - Demi Orimoloye went 2-for-4 with run scoring hits in the first and fifth innings, Dallas Carroll scored the go-ahead run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to shallow left-center and Luke Barker earned his league leading 13th save of the season as the Mudcats defeated the Hillcats 3-2 on Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

The game was locked up at 2-2 heading into the seventh before Ryan Aguilar brought in Carroll from third on a bases loaded sacrifice fly to shallow left-center. Carroll's run gave the Mudcats (13-9, 47-45) the 3-2 lead and relievers Nattino Diplan and Barker (S, 13) took it the rest of the way while leading Carolina to the series tying victory.
Tweet from @CarolinaMudcats: Full send for the lead. #MudcatsFUN pic.twitter.com/peYwzEkWTi
Diplan (4-1, 3.76) earned the win as he pitched through two scoreless frames with two strikeouts. Barker also struck out two and pitched around two hits while earn the save.
Carolina originally scored first in the game as Devin Hairston started the game with a lead off single before later scoring on a RBI single to center from Orimoloye. The hit ran Hairston's hitting streak to 10 straight games, while Orimoloye's RBI knock gave Carolina the early 1-0 lead.
The Hillcats (13-10, 42-48) later responded with two runs on three doubles in the third against starter Conor Harber. Jorma Rodriguez, Mitch Longo and Trenton Brooks each had doubles in the third and Ernie Clement and Brooks accounted for the two run scoring knocks as Lynchburg took a 2-1 lead. Clement had a game tying sacrifice fly and Brook capped a 13 pitch at-bat with a go-ahead, two-out RBI double.
Harber totaled four strikeouts over his first two scoreless innings before giving up the three doubles and two runs in the third. He went on to settle in and then worked through the sixth with just two runs allowed on eight hits. Harber also finished with a walk and five strikeouts while working through his third quality start of the season.
Zach Plesac started the game for the Hillcats and held the 2-1 lead through the fourth before giving up another run scoring hit to Orimoloye in the fifth. Orimoloye's single in the fifth brought in Joantgel Segovia from second and was a two-out base-hit to left. Segovia led off the fifth with a single and had moved to second on a balk before scoring on Orimoloye's game tying hit.
Plesac ended up working through five and 1/3 innings in his start and finished with nine strikeouts against one walk. He also allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits while finishing without a decision.
Reliever Ben Krauth worked the final two and 2/3 innings of Saturday's game and ended up with the loss after allowing Carroll's go ahead run in the seventh. Krauth (2-2, 2.34) struck out four, walked three and allowed a run on one hit in the loss.
Carolina's Saturday night victory came in game two of the four game series and evened the series at a game apiece. It also snapped Carolina's three game losing streak.
The series will continue on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. RHP Victor Diaz (5-5, 4.24) will get the start for the Mudcats on Sunday afternoon.
The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, the Big Dawg 98.5 FM and via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com. It will also be available via live streaming video at MiLB.tv. Tickets are available by visiting the Five County Stadium front office, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com/tickets.
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