Mudcats Finish Home Sweep of Myrtle Beach with 7-2 Mother's Day Victory

ZEBULON, N.C. - Pat McInerney hit a solo home run in the third, Devin Hairston went 3-for-4 with two doubles and Dylan File turned in another quality start while pitching through the seventh as the Mudcats finished off a weekend sweep of the Pelicans 7-2 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (22-14) scored six runs over the first three frames in support of File's fantastic outing and ended up winning their third straight game. The victory sealed what was Carolina's first sweep at home this season and brought the Mudcats into a 5-1 finish in their six game home stand. Myrtle Beach (12-25) matched a season high four doubles in a game with four and scored twice early, but ended up dropping their fourth straight game.
The two teams traded runs in the first and second after both scored twice over the first inning and a half to lock the game up at 2-2. Ryan Aguilar started the two run Carolina first with a walk before scoring moments later on double form Lutz. Starter Adbert Alzolay then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Lutz to third. The wild pitch, however, caromed off catcher Miguel Amaya and came right back to Alzolay. The pitcher then attempted to catch Lutz at third, but his errant throw sailed beyond third and Lutz scored easily to put Carolina up 2-0. 
The Pelicans, meanwhile, got those runs back in the second when Grant Fennell doubled and scored on an Aramis Ademan triple to left-center. Ademan then scored moments later on a sac fly from Kevonte Mitchell to tie the game at 2-2. Ademan's triple was his first of two hits in the game as he went 2-for-4 with a run and one RBI in the loss for the Pelicans.
The two run Myrtle Beach second ended up accounting for all of the run production in the game allowed by File (3-3, 3.32). Carolina's starter turned in another strong outing as he worked through a season high seven innings while allowing just two runs on eight hits. The outing ended up being his fourth quality start of the season and his fourth without issuing a walk. File also struck out five on Sunday and raised his Carolina League leading K/BB ratio to 14.00. It was also his second straight victory.
Carolina then quickly broke the early 2-2 tie in the second with three runs and four of their own in the bottom half second to take a 5-2 lead. The three run second began with a one-out single from Zach Clark and then continued with a RBI double from Hairston. A run scoring hit from Aguilar, combined with an error in right by Mitchell, scored both Hairston and Joantgel Segovia to bring the Carolina lead to 6-2. Segovia followed Hairston's double with a single to right-center.
The Mudcats later scored once more on McInerney's homer in the third and added one more in the eighth while sealing the sweep clinching victory 7-2. The home run was McInerney's second of the year and came in his tenth game of the season. McInerney finished the game 1-for-3 with two runs. He also started at third base for the first time in his career.
Alzolay (0-1, 11.25) took the loss for the Pelicans as he allowed five earned runs and six total over four innings pitched. He also gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out three in his first appearance of 2019. Manny Rondon followed and pitched a scoreless fifth. Alexander Vargas then finished the game by working the final three innings with two walks, two strikeouts and one run allowed on five hits.
Michael Petersen later finished the game for Carolina by pitching the final two frames where he held the Pelicans scoreless and to just one hit.
Hairston went 3-for-4 with a run, a RBI and two doubles in the game for Carolina. Clark went 2-for-4 with a run, Lutz was 2-for-4 with a double, a run and one RBI. Payton Henry also doubled in the game while going 2-for-4 with a RBI.
NOTES: Ryan Aguilar went 1-for-3 with a walk in his first at bat, stretching his consecutive games on base streak to a 2019 Carolina League high 25 straight games.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats will next play on Monday in Lynchburg as they take on the Hillcats for the first time at City Stadium. Monday's game will also be the first of a seven game road trip for the Mudcats. RHP Matt Smith (1-3, 4.38) will start for Carolina in Monday's 6:30 p.m. game in Lynchburg.
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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