Offense erupts for 14 runs as Mudcats win third straight

ZEBULON, N.C. - Lucas Erceg hit a three-run home run in the first, Monte Harrison blasted a two-run homer in the third and Isan Díaz was 4-for-5 with three runs, a double, a solo home run and two RBIs as the Mudcats defeated the Dash 14-10 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (7-4, 43-36) opened Sunday's matinée with the Dash (5-6, 29-52) by scoring four runs in the first, before later rallying for five more runs in the third. They led 9-0 after three, but the Dash came back with five in the fifth and three more in the sixth to make it a one run game.
The Carolina offense, however, found its groove again in the sixth while scoring four runs before getting one last one in the eighth on a solo home run from Diaz. The Dash came back with two in the ninth, but Carolina managed to hold on while taking the third game of the series 14-10. 
Erceg ignited Carolina's 14 run and 15 hit outburst with a three-run home run in the first off Dash starter Brannon Easterling. Jake Gatewood followed with a double and Diaz would do the same while also scoring Gatewood from second. Gatewood was 2-for-5 with two runs in the game. Troy Stokes Jr. also scored twice and 3-for-5 with a triple.
Easterling (5-5, 4.84) allowed four runs and four hits in the first and later allowed five more runs on three hits in third before leaving the game. In all, Easterling gave up nine runs on eight hits over two and 1/3 innings and suffered the loss.
Carolina led 4-0 after two before Harrison got the offense going again with a two-run home to left in the third. It was his second homer of the season and his first at Five County Stadium since his promotion to High-A. Jose Cuas had a RBI single in the third and Trent Clark capped the scoring with a two-run double to straightaway center.
Conor Harber started for Carolina and had cruised his way through the first four innings with just one hit allowed before eventually allowing two hits and five runs (three earned) in the fifth. Harber reached 94 pitches (51 strikes) and walked a season high six batters in what was his first start since May 27.
Jordan Yamamoto followed Harber in the fifth and eventually got the Mudcats out of the inning, but only after allowing a two-run triple to Luis Basabe. Basabe's triple was a catchable fly ball that landed between Harrison and Clark in right-center.
Yamamoto pitched through just an inning and 2/3 on Sunday and allowed three runs on four hits. He eventually earned the victory, but finished his appearance after throwing just 38 pitches (22 strikes) between the fifth and sixth. 
Johan Cruz had a double in the fifth and later scored on a Jameson Fisher three-run home run to right-center in that same frame. Cruz then started the sixth with a solo home run off Yamamoto and was 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Fisher also had a double in the sixth off Yamamoto and was 3-for-4 in the game for the Dash with four RBIs.
Winston-Salem scored eight straight runs between the fifth and sixth and had pulled within one of the lead before the Mudcats rallied for four more in the last of the sixth. Gatewood and Hummel both had run scoring hits in the sixth. The Dash also committed two errors in the frame with both leading to runs in the inning.
Carolina led 13-8 in the eighth before Diaz homered to deep right off reliever Ian Hamilton. Diaz had four hits in the game and drove in two runs. The home run was his tenth of the season and first since May 31.
The home run was one of only three hits allowed by Hamilton over two and 1/3 innings pitched. Hamilton was the fourth of four pitchers to appear in the game for the Dash as he was preceded in the game by Victor Diaz (0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Louie Lechich (2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO).
Eric Hanhold followed Yamamoto in the seventh and worked the final three frames while earning his first save of the season. Hanhold (S, 1) entered the game with Carolina leading 13-8 and ended up holding the lead despite allowing two runs on three hits over three innings. He also walked two and struck out two in the game.
The win was Carolina's third straight in the series and lifted them to a series victory. It also brought Carolina to a perfect 9-0 home record against and 12-1 overall this season against Winston-Salem.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats and Dash will conclude the four game set on Monday night at Five County Stadium with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m. Kodi Medeiros (3-6, 4.95) will start for the Mudcats in the series finale and will look to lead his club to the four game sweep. 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 on MiLB.tv.
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