Mudcats Open Road Trip with 5-4 victory versus Salem

SALEM, VA - The Mudcats erased a three run deficit in the first with four runs in the second, including back-to-back run scoring doubles from Cooper Hummel and Ryan Aguilar and a two-out RBI single from Joantgel Segovia while defeating the Red Sox 5-4 on Tuesday night at Haley Toyota Field in Salem.

The Carolina (3-2, 37-38) victory came in the opener of a six game road trip and game one of a four game road series with the Red Sox (3-2, 35-38) in Salem. It also resulted in Carolina's second straight victory overall and improved the Mudcats to 10-4 against a Northern Division team this season. 
Carolina's starting pitcher Devin Williams opened the game by allowing three runs and three hits in the first, but later came back with a scoreless second before giving way to reliever Conor Harber in the third. Williams also tossed a shutdown frame in the second as he held the Red Sox without a run immediately after the Mudcats rallied for four runs in their half of the second to take an early 4-3 lead.
Trailing 3-0 after one, Carolina stormed back with four run and four hits in the second while taking their first lead in the game. Weston Wilson started the rally with a one-out walk and newly added catcher Dustin Houle followed with a single. Hummel then drove in Wilson with a RBI double to right to cut the Salem lead to 3-1. Aguilar then delivered a two-run double to tie the game and a two-out RBI single from Segovia put the Mudcats up 4-3.
Salem's starter Jack Thompson (3-6 4.99) allowed all four runs and four hits in the second. He also saw an unearned run score against him in the third, but pitched through five innings overall while walking three, striking out two and allowing five runs (four earned).
Harber (3-3, 2.47), meanwhile, went on to work through a bases loaded jam in the third and pitched through four and 2/3 scoreless frames in all while earning the victory. Harber scattered five hits, walked two and struck out two while keeping the Red Sox at bay and holding onto Carolina's 5-3 lead.
Carolina's two run advantage later shrunk to 5-4 in the eighth when reliever Nattino Diplan saw an unearned run come across on a Dallas Carroll throwing error with two outs in the penultimate frame. Diplan (H, 3) was then lifted for fellow reliever, Luke Barker, who went to close the frame with a strikeout, leaving a runner at second.
Barker (S, 8) then returned for the ninth and went on to retire the side in order while earning his eighth save of the season. In all, Barker struck out two and faced only four while leaving an inherited runner on base and earning a four out save.
Diplan, meanwhile, stranded two inherited runners, struck out three, walked one and allowed one hit over an inning of work out of the Carolina pen.
Hummel and Aguilar both had run scoring doubles in the second; with Hummel doubling in a run and Aguilar doing the same in the same inning. Hummel went 1-for-4 in the game with a RBI double. Demi Orimoloye had two hits and was 2-for-4 with a run in the game for Carolina. Salem's C.J. Chatham went 3-for-5 with a run scored and Jordan Procyhen went 2-for-4. 
The series will continue on Wednesday night with the second game of the four game set beginning at 7:05 p.m. at Salem. 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 stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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