Mudcats Use Six Run Fourth to Sink Hillcats 7-2 in Lynchburg

LYNCHBURG, VA - Carolina scored six runs on six hits in the fourth while running away with Sunday's series finale 7-2 at City Stadium in Lynchburg. Payton Henry led the way by going 2-for-3 with two RBI, Rob Henry was 1-for-2 with a RBI triple and Scotty Sunitsch earned the win in his Carolina debut as the Mudcats picked up the series clinching victory.

Sunitsch (W, 1-0, 0.00) worked through four and 1/3 scoreless with three strikeouts in his High-A debut while helping the Mudcats (23-33, 62-63) to the their second straight victory. Sunitsch also scattered two hits and left three inherited runners on base in the second after taking over in relief of starter Aaron Ashby. 
Ashby started for the Mudcats and allowed a run in the second before leaving the game with the bases loaded in the same inning. In all, Ashby struck out three, walked two and allowed a run on two hits over an inning and 2/3 in what was his first start since August 4.
Lynchburg (25-29, 57-64) starter Kyle McCarty took the loss despite beginning the game with nine straight outs before allowing six Carolina runs and six hits in the fourth. McCarty (L, 3-5, 5.55) retired one, but faced eight batters in the second before leaving the game. In all, McCarty allowed six runs on six hits, walked one and struck out five while taking the loss.
Carolina was down 1-0 in the game before breaking out with their six run and six hit sixth. Wes Rogers started the rally with a walk and quickly moved to third when Mario Feliciano drove a double to the track in deep left-center. Henry followed with a single to left to tie the game at 1-1 and Pat McInerney singled to left to bring in the go-ahead while putting Carolina up 2-1. 
Eddie Silva then forced in two more runs with a single to center that drove in Henry and helped McInerney across after the Hillcats were charged with an error on the play. Rob Henry and Trever Morrison then capped the rally with Henry ripping a RBI triple to left and Morrison bringing in the sixth run of the frame with a single to right.
The Mudcats totaled six runs and six hits in the fourth while breaking the game open and knocking McCarty out the game. Reliever Aaron Pinto replaced McCarty in the fourth and went on to get the Hillcats out of the frame by getting Devin Hairston to hit into a double play. 
Pinto stayed in through the next two innings while pitching through two and 2/3 scoreless for the Hillcats. Manuel Alvarez later followed and allowed a run in the seventh; Skylar Arias and Jonathan Teaney then combined on the final two frames with Arias working a scoreless eighth and Teaney striking out three in a scoreless ninth.
Carolina's run in the seventh off Alvarez was driven on by Payton Henry and lifted Carolina to a 7-1 lead in the game. The run scoring hit was a two-out RBI double that scored Hairston who had started the frame with a single. 
Henry went 2-for-3 with the game with two runs driven in while bringing his overall total to 72 RBI on the season; 37 of which coming with two outs in an inning. Hairston was 1-for-4 with a run. The same was also true for McInerney who went 1-for-4 with a run and a RBI while hitting fourth for Carolina. Silva also went 1-for-4 with a run and RBI and Rob Henry was 1-for-3 with a run and a RBI triple.
The Hillcats scored the last run of the game after getting one across against reliever Chad Whitmer in the eighth. Whitmer also pitched the seventh and worked through two innings with two strikeouts and one run allowed on two hits. Robbie Hitt finished the game out of the Carolina bullpen and scattered two hits in the ninth while finishing the game with a scoreless final frame.
The road victory lifted the Mudcats to 2-1 in their current road trip. The trip will continue on Tuesday night in Myrtle Beach following Monday's league wide off-day.
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