Wilson Leads Mudcats to 4-2 Win with 5,678 in Attendance in Zebulon
ZEBULON, NC - Weston Wilson hit a run scoring double with two outs in the first and later crushed a three-run home run with two outs in the third while leading the Mudcats to a 4-2 home win versus the Astros in front of a crowd of 5,678 on Tuesday
ZEBULON, NC - Weston Wilson hit a run scoring double with two outs in the first and later crushed a three-run home run with two outs in the third while leading the Mudcats to a 4-2 home win versus the Astros in front of a crowd of 5,678 on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
Wilson provided all of the offense in Carolina's series finale win against Buies Creek (9-4, 46-36) as he went 3-for-4 with four, two-out, RBIs and a run scored. His third inning home run brought Carolina (7-5, 41-41) back from a 2-1 deficit and was his team leading ninth homer of the season.
Carolina led first in the game as Wilson drove in the game's first run with a two-out RBI double off Buies Creek starter Phil Ivey. The lead, however, disappeared in the third when the Astros rallied back with two runs off Carolina starter Alec Bettinger. Bettinger ended up leaving the game in the third after totaling two walks and one strikeout. He also left with a runner on base and after reaching just 52 pitches (29 strikes).
Relievers Daniel Brown, Phil Bickford and Luke Barker followed Bettinger and combined to hold the Astros quiet over the final six and 1/3 innings while combining on the victory, hold and save respectively.
Brown (3-3, 3.44) earned the win after holding the Astros scoreless over three and 1/3 innings. He did allow an inherited runner to score after taking over for Bettinger with outs in the third, but overall allowed two hits, walked two and struck out three in the victory.
Bickford (H, 1) pitched both the seventh and eighth innings and ended up earning his first hold of the season while pitching through two scoreless frames. He gave up a triple to Corey Julks in the seventh, but pitched around the late extra-base hit while working through a season high two innings.
Barker (S, 10) worked the ninth and pitched around a leadoff single while earning his 10th save of the season. He also struck out two, including Julks to end the game with a runner on base.
Ivey (0-3, 4.32) took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits over five and 1/3 innings pitched. He was later followed by relievers Colin McKee (1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Adam Bleday (1.0 IP, 2 SO), who went on to hold Carolina scoreless the rest of the way.
Julks finished the game a home run shy of the cycle as he went 3-for-4 for the Astros. Osvaldo Duarte went 2-for-4 with a run scoring double and Ronnie Dawson went 1-for-4 with a RBI double as well in the loss.
Dawson and Duarte accounted for both run scoring hits in the game for Buies Creek as they had back-to-back RBI doubles in the third against Bettinger and Brown. Dawson's double scored Julks and ended up knocking Bettinger out game. Duarte's double came against Brown and brought in Dawson, who had been inherited to Brown from Bettinger. Dawson's run was just the third inherited runner, out of 21 inherited overall for Brown this season.
Carolina's offense was paced by Wilson who totaled three hits in the game. Tucker Neuhaus and Nick Roscetti also had multi-hit games as they both went 2-for-3.
The Mudcats ended up splitting the four game away/home series having lost the first two at Buies Creek, before winning the final two at home. Carolina is currently 2-0 in its current seven game home stand and will continue its latest slate of home games on Wednesday night beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday's, Independence Day, game will feature is also game two of Carolina's Mudcats for America fireworks series and will be followed by a spectacular post-game fireworks show. 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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