Taugner Turns In Quality Gem in 2-1 Road Win in Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Pat McInerney hit a game tying home run in the second, Tristen Lutz had a go-ahead RBI single in the third, starter Christian Taugner struck out four over six quality frames and Michael Petersen picked up his first save of the season as Carolina won its second straight 2-1 versus the Dash on Friday night at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem.

Carolina (18-24, 57-54) started the game by getting its first two men on safely before the Dash (19-22, 57-48) turned a 5-4-3 triple play to end the opening frame. Winston-Salem then took a 1-0 lead in the last of the first when Steele Walker tripled and scored on a single from Mitch Roman. The Mudcats then bounced back when McInerney hit a game tying homer with two outs in the second and Lutz singled in the go-ahead with two outs in the third.
Lutz went 3-for-5 with an RBI in the game for Carolina. His go-ahead single in the third immediately followed a two-out double off the top of the left field wall from Mario Feliciano. Like Lutz, Feliciano also went 3-for-5 in the game for the Mudcats. McInerney was 1-for-3 with what was his eighth home run of the season.
The Carolina offense totaled 11 hits in the game, but scored just two times in support of Taugner (W, 5-7, 4.80) and relievers Cody Beckman, Matt Hardy and Petersen (S, 1). Those two runs ended up being enough though as the pitching staff combined to hold the Dash to one run on seven hits in the game.
Taugner pitched through six quality frames with one run allowed on six hits while earning the series opening victory. He allowed the lone first inning run, but went on to hold the Dash scoreless while scattering four hits from the second through the remainder of his start. Taugner struck out four, stranded four and reached 89 pitches (57 strikes) in his quality outing.
Beckman (H, 6) was the first man up out of the pen for Carolina when he was called on for the seventh. His time on the mound, however, would be short lived as he walked three, retired a batter thanks to a sac bunt and got Walker on strikes while recording just two outs. Hardy followed and stranded the three runners he inherited from Beckman by getting a ground out to the mound. Petersen then worked the ninth where he earned his first save of the season while also totaling two strikeouts and leaving two men on base.
Kade McClue started for the Dash and ended up with the loss despite allowing two runs over six innings pitched. McClue (L, 2-3, 2.60) struck out four, walked one and allowed eight hits in the loss. Andrew Perez followed and pitched around two hits while working a scoreless seventh. Will Kincanon then finished the game with four strikeouts over two scoreless frames.
Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the series with Friday's victory in Winston-Salem. They also moved to 4-5 in the overall season series between the two teams with the series opening victory. The series will continue on Saturday evening with the first pitch scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem.
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.
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