Los Pescados Tally Second Straight Victory 4-2 Versus Potomac

ZEBULON, N.C. - Payton Henry hit a go-ahead home run in the fourth, Tristen Lutz lined a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth and Rodrigo Benoit earned his eleventh save of the season as the Mudcats, playing as Los Pescados de Carolina, won their second straight 4-2 versus the Nationals in front of a crowd of 5,546 at Five County Stadium on Friday night.

The Mudcats (5-4, 44-34) led first in the game as they rallied for a run on two hits in the third against Potomac (3-6, 33-43) starter Tim Cate. Julio Garcia started the third with a double through left-center and scored three batters later on an infield single to hole at second from Ryan Aguilar. Cate struck out seven and walked two while ending up with a no-decision in his start. He also finished with two runs allowed one five hits over five innings pitched.
Garcia went 2-for-3 with the game's first run and Aguilar went 2-for-4 with a RBI and the game's final run in the eighth. Henry also had a two hit night while going 2-for-3 with the go-ahead home run in the fourth and two RBI overall in the game.
Noah Zavolas started for the Mudcats and pitched well enough to earn the win after allowing just one run over seven complete innings pitched. He also scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out three while pitching through the seventh for the fourth time this season. 
Zavolas allowed just the one run in the game and did so in the fourth after allowing three straight Potomac hits. Gage Canning started the rally with a single before going to second on a hit by Osvaldo Abreu and reaching third on a hit from Alex Dunlap. Anderson Franco then drove in Canning with a sacrifice fly to center.
The Nationals tied the game at 1-1 after their three hit and one run fourth. That tie unlocked moments later in the last of the fourth when Henry led off the inning with a home run to right. The home run was his second in as many games and his ninth overall on the season. It also accounted for his 45th RBI of the season.
Carolina led 2-1 when Zavolas left the game after the seventh, but reliever Cody Beckman would see that lead disappear after balking in the tying run in the eighth. Potomac's Cole Freeman started the eighth with a double and went on to score from third on Beckman's balk while tying the game at 2-2.
The 2-2 tie was short-lived, however, as the Mudcats rallied for two runs in the last of that same eighth inning, with both runs allowed in by reliever Luis Reyes. Reyes (L, 1-4, 5.11) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in the eighth. He followed reliever Andrew Istler who had previously worked two scoreless frames between the sixth and seventh.
Wes Rogers started the two-run Carolina eighth with a walk and moved to third moments later on a double to right from Aguilar. Lutz then brought in Rogers from third with a hard single to left to put Carolina up 3-2. A sacrifice fly two batters later from Henry plated Aguilar and the Mudcats had their 4-2 lead going into the ninth.
The game was then turned over to Benoit (S, 11) as he entered in place of Beckman (BS, 2, W, 3-3, 3.29) to close out the game. Benoit pitched around two hits and left the bases loaded in the ninth while earning his eleventh save of the season.
Carolina took a 2-0 lead in the four game set and improved to 2-3 in their current seven game home stand. The win was also Carolina's fifth straight versus the Nationals dating back the previous series between the two teams. It was also Carolina's second straight win when playing as Pescados de Carolina.
The series will continue on Saturday evening beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium. The third game of the four game set will included RHP Christian Taugner (2-5, 5.82) starting for the Mudcats. 
The game will air live 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 in full high-definition video on MiLB.tv via Minor League Baseball's subscription service.
Individual game tickets, season ticket plans, group ticket packages and the latest mini plans are all available now by visiting the Five County Stadium front office, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting carolinamudcats.com/tickets.
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