Mudcats lose late lead while suffering fifth straight loss

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Kodi Medeiros turned in his first quality start of the season, Jose Cuas hit a solo home run and both Lucas Erceg and Jake Gatewood had run scoring hits, but the Dash rallied for three late runs in the seventh and eighth while defeating the Mudcats 6-4 on Saturday night in Winston-Salem.

The Mudcats (44-41, 8-9) led 4-3 heading into the seventh, but the Dash (32-55, 8-9) managed to get a go-ahead, two-out, two-run home run from Luis Basabe in the game changing seventh while taking a 5-4 lead. They later added one more in the eighth and won the game with three late runs while pushing Carolina's current losing streak to a season high five straight games.
Basabe's home run came off reliever Quintin Torres-Costa and was hit with two outs in the seventh inning. Torres-Costa (6-4, 3.77) had previously retired two quick outs in the seventh before giving up a single to Toby Thomas and then Basabe's go-ahead shot. He also gave up a run in the eighth and allowed three runs overall on three hits over two innings in relief of Medeiros. Torres-Costa also walked two and struck out one while taking the loss.
Dash reliever Kyle Kubat earned the win for Winston-Salem while working through four scoreless innings following starter Dane Dunning. Kubat (1-2, 2.35) struck out two and allowed just one hit over the final four frames while earning the victory.
Carolina scored all four of its runs against Dunning and did so over the first two innings of Saturday's game in Winston-Salem. Both Trent Clark and Troy Stokes Jr. opened the game with back-to-back walks before scoring on consecutive RBI singles from Erceg and Gatewood. Luis Aviles Jr. later added a run scoring sacrifice fly as the Mudcats rallied for three runs on two hits in the opening frame.
Cuas later led off the second with a home run off Dunning while stretching the Carolina lead to 4-0 early in the game. The homer was Cuas' second with the Mudcats and his fifth overall after previously hitting three with Low-A Wisconsin earlier this season.
Dunning allowed all four Carolina runs over the first two frames and left the game after the fifth with four runs allowed on eight hits. He also walked three and struck out six and did not finish with a decision.
Medeiros also finished without a decision, but left the game with a chance for the win after turning his best start of the year. Medeiros worked through a season high six innings in Saturday's game and allowed three runs on three hits while also striking out five and walking two. Medeiros left after the sixth with the Mudcats leading 4-3 and after reaching 92 pitches (61 strikes) in the game.
The Dash managed to score three times against Medeiros in the second while getting run scoring hits from Brady Conlan and Thomas in the second. Medeiros followed a Thomas's two-run double in the second by retiring next 13 he faced in consecutive order. The streak came to an end in the seventh when Medeiros issued a two out walk to Telvin Nash in his sixth and final inning.
The Dash finished the game with four men left on base and were 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The Mudcats were 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base. All 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position and all six runners left on base came over the first five innings of the game.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats and Dash will continue the four game series with game three on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem. Carolina will turn to starter Trey Supak for Sunday's game as they look to snap their season high five losing streak. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream via live video on MiLB.tv.
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