Burnes goes to 5-0; Mudcats win 5-3 vs. Pelicans

ZEBULON, N.C. - Corbin Burnes struck out six over six innings pitched, Corey Ray was 2-for-4 with a lead off home run and Nate Griep earned his league leading eighth save as the Mudcats defeated the Pelicans 5-3 in game one of a four game series on Friday night at Five County Stadium.

The victory helped the Mudcats (26-22) move ahead of the Pelicans in the first half standings and to just 1.5 games of the first place Buies Creek Astros in the Carolina League Southern Division standings.
Burnes (5-0, 1.05) struck out six, walked one and held the Pelicans (26-23) to just the one run on two hits. He gave up back-to-back hits and one run to start the game, but went on to hold the Pelicans without another hit from the second through the sixth innings. He retired 10 straight between the third (induced a bases loaded, inning ending double play) and sixth and finished with six strikeouts against a walk and a run allowed two hits.
The Mudcats trailed 1-0 in the first before Corey Ray quickly tied the game with a lead off home run off Ryan Kellogg in the Carolina first. The home run was his second of the season and his first at Five County Stadium. Lucas Erceg later started the second with a double and scored moments later on another RBI double from Trent Clark, giving the Mudcats a 2-1 lead. Kellogg also gave up a two-out RBI single to Wilson in the second and the Mudcats led 3-1 after two. 
Kellogg stayed in the game through the fifth and into the sixth after the Mudcats scored once more on a fielder's choice hit into by Erceg with two outs in the inning. Kellogg (1-3, 5.01) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits over five and 2/3 innings and took the loss. He also walked one and struck out four.
The Mudcats later took a 5-1 lead in the seventh when Luis Aviles Jr. singled, stole second and scored on hit to center by Ray. Ray was 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Mudcats and is batting .300/.387/.425 with 14 RBIs in May.
Reliever Scott Effros allowed the final Carolina run in the seventh while pitching through an inning and a third with a run allowed on three hits. Marc Huberman later pitched the eighth and finished a walk and a strikeout over one inning.
Burnes left after the sixth and Eric Hanhold and Griep (S, 8) combined to finish the game. Hanhold allowed two unearned runs in the seventh (Diaz and Erceg were both charged with errors in the inning), but pitched through the seventh and eighth all while striking out two. 
Griep pitched the ninth and finished with a walk and a strikeout while earning his league leading eighth save of the season. His walk came to pinch-hitter Eloy Jiménez after he was brought into the game off the bench in the final frame by the Pelicans.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats took a 1-0 series lead with Friday's home win and snapped a two game losing streak. The series continues on Saturday night with the first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. Conor Harber will start for the Mudcats against Myrtle Beach's Adbert Alzolay.
Saturday's game will feature Game of Ponds Night, with a souvenir House Mudcats Banner giveaway for fans ages 14 and under. It will also include a blood drive hosted by The Blood Connection outside the Five County Stadium gates from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm near the Hwy. 264 main parking lot. 
Tickets to all Mudcats games are available by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287), by visiting carolinamudcats.com and by visiting the Five County Stadium box office. 
The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream live via online video at MiLB.tv.
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