Oquendo leads the way in 6-3 game two victory

ZEBULON, N.C. - Jonathan Oquendo was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Lucas Erceg was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Weston Wilson was 2-for-3 as the Mudcats bounced back with a 6-3 game two victory against the Nationals in Saturday's doubleheader at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (35-32) led first in game two of the twin bill after rallying for four runs and four hits in the first against Potomac's starter Jordan Mills. The Nationals (33-36) later rallied for three runs off Carolina's starter Scott Grist, but relievers Eric Hanhold and Nate Griep eventually quited the P-Nats while helping the Mudcats to the 6-3 victory.
Hanhold (3-2, 5.97) pitched through the fifth and sixth of the seven inning, shortened game and earned the victory. He allowed three hits, walked one, struck out one and pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the victory.
Griep pitched the seventh and earned his league leading 14th save after strikeout out and pitching around a hit and a walk.
Trent Clark got things going for the Mudcats in the first after starting the game with a walk. Troy Stokes Jr. followed with the same and both went on to score later in the frame on a RBI double from Erceg and a run scoring groundout by Luis Aviles Jr.. Carlos Belonis then singled and Wilson followed with a RBI single before Oquendo drove in the final run of the opening frame with a RBI single to left.
Oquendo's run scoring hit in the first was his first with the Mudcats this season. He also had a run scoring single in the sixth and was 2-for-3 in the game for Carolina.
Erceg picked up his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the second and was 1-for-2 with two RBIs in the game. His SAC fly in the second put the Mudcats up 5-1 and was the final run allowed by Mills.
Mills started and allowed five runs on five hits over just two inning pitched. Mariano Rivera III followed Mills with three straight scoreless frames while striking out one and yielding just one hit. Jorge Pantoja later working the sixth and allowed two hits, including Oquendo's second RBI single.
Grist allowed three runs on six hits while working through four innings in his first start of the season. He allowed a two-out RBI single to David Masters in the second and a RBI triple to Ian Sagdal in the two-run third, but never lost the early lead.
The Mudcats were 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the game two victory and managed to finish the day with a twin bill split. 
UP NEXT: The Mudcats will wrap up the four game set with the series finale on Sunday afternoon beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. Sunday's game is also the final game of Carolina's first half schedule. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
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