Mudcats outlast Keys 10-8 in extra-innings road win

FREDERICK, M.D. - Jake Gatewood broke an 8-8 tie in the 12th inning with a solo home run and Trent Clark set a new career high with five hits as the Mudcats fought through to a 10-8 series finale victory against the Keys at Nymeo Field on Sunday afternoon.

Carolina (10-13) led 7-3 midway through Sunday's finale in Frederick, but the Keys (12-12) managed to rally back and tie it with runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Frederick's Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run home run in the seventh and had the game tying single in the eighth while going 4-for-5 with four RBIs for the Keys.
Kodi Medeiros (5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO) started for Carolina and left with a 7-3 lead before the sixth, but reliever Eric Hanhold followed and went on to allow five runs over two and 2/3 innings pitched while letting the five run lead slip away. Hanhold (2.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) left in the eighth and Nate Griep took over with two outs in the inning. 
Griep (2-0, 1.64) gave up Mountcastle's game tying single (allowing one of two inherited runners to score), but stayed in the game into the 12th while earning the win. He left in the 12th after holding the Keys without a run over three and 2/3 innings, but did suffer a blown save. In all, he walked one and struck out three while earning the victory. Scott Grist (S, 0.2 IP, 1 SO) followed Griep and earned a save in his first appearance of the season.
Franderlin Romero suffered the loss after allowing Gatewood's home run and a sacrifice fly to Max McDowell in the 12th inning. Romero (0-3, 11.08) worked through two innings with two runs, three walks and two hits allowed.
Gatewood broke the tie in the 12th while homering in his third consecutive game. He was 2-for-6 with two runs and one RBI. He also singled in the second and stretched his hitting streak to 10 straight games.
Isan Díaz also ran his current hitting streak to 10 straight with a solo home run in the seventh. His home run extended Carolina's lead to 8-5 in the seventh, but Mountcastle answered with his two-run blast in the same frame to cut the Carolina lead to one.
The Keys led first after getting one across in the opening frame, but the Mudcats answered back with two in the second on back-to-back run scoring hits by Clark and Luis Aviles Jr. while taking a 2-1 lead.
Clark was 5-for-6 and set a new career high for hits in a game. He also had a two-run single in Carolina's five run and five hit fifth. Clark drove in three runs and scored twice for the Mudcats.
Weston Wilson helped ignite Carolina's five run fifth with a RBI double and was 3-for-5 in Sunday's game. Carolina started five run fifth with four straight hits and stole three bases in the inning. They trailed 3-2 going into the inning, but then went on to take a 7-3 lead.
Keys starter Cody Sedlock gave up all five fifth inning runs and allowed seven runs and 10 hits over four and 2/3 innings. Reliever Mike Burke eventually took over out of the bullpen and held Carolina to just one run and two hits over three innings. Luis Gonzalez also pitched for the Keys and worked through two and 1/3 innings scoreless before giving way to Romero in the 11th inning.
NOTES: The win allowed the Mudcats to avoid a series sweep in Frederick, but the Keys won the four game set 3-1… Carolina stole a season high six bases in Sunday's game. Corey Ray and Trent Clark both stole two bases in the game; Troy Stokes Jr. and Lucas Erceg both had one steal.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats return to action at Five County Stadium on Monday night with game one of a seven game home stand against the Buies Creek Astros (5/1-5/3) and Frederick Keys (5/4-5/7). Monday's game starts at 7:00 p.m. and will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. The game will also stream live online via high definition video at MiLB.tv. 
Tickets are available by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting carolinamudcats.com/tickets.
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