MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Newly promoted starter Zack Brown matched a career high with eight strikeouts and allowed just one run over six quality innings while leading the Mudcats to a losing streak snapping 4-1 road win against the Pelicans in Myrtle Beach on Friday night.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Newly promoted starter Zack Brown matched a career high with eight strikeouts and allowed just one run over six quality innings while leading the Mudcats to a losing streak snapping 4-1 road win against the Pelicans in Myrtle Beach on Friday night.
Brown (1-0, 1.50) allowed a solo home run to P.J. Higgins in the first, but went on to strikeout the side in the second and allowed just the one run over six innings in his victorious Carolina League debut.
The Mudcats (57-59, 21-27) trailed 1-0 after the first, but eventually took the lead in the third when Monte Harrison drove in two with a two-out, bases loaded single to center.
Harrison's go-ahead single in the third came off Myrtle Beach (59-58, 16-31) starter Michael Rucker and was the third hit of Carolina's two run and three hit inning. Rucker (4-3, 2.21) allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned) over six innings and took the loss.
The Mudcats increased their lead to 3-1 in the fourth when Luis Aviles Jr. bunted his way on before stealing second and moving to third on a ground out. He then came across to score when Jose Cuas reached safely on a catching error at first.
Lucas Erceg later gave the Mudcats a 4-1 lead after starting the sixth with a solo home run off Rucker. The home run was Erceg's team leading 12th homer of the season. Erceg also singled in the game and was 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI in the five-game losing streak snapping victory.
Wuilder Rodriguez followed Brown out of the Carolina bullpen and worked through two scoreless frames while striking out five. Nate Griep later worked the ninth and pitched around a hit while leaving one man on and earning his league leading 22nd save of the year.
The Pelicans left six men on base in the loss, with three of the six stranded over the final two innings. Myrtle Beach also finished the game just 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while the Mudcats went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position and four men left on base.
UP NEXT: Carolina's road series with the Pelicans will continue on Saturday night in Myrtle Beach with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Trey Supak (3-3, 4.78) will start for the Mudcats in game two of the three game series on Saturday night. 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 at MiLB.tv.
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