Webb Fans Eight as Mudcats Defeat Astros 6-4

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Braden Webb struck out a career high eight, Max McDowell hit his first home run of the season and Tucker Neuhaus drove in two runs as the Mudcats snapped a three game losing streak with a 6-4 victory versus Buies Creek on Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium.

Webb (2-3, 6.08) worked into the sixth and allowed just one run on two hits while helping to lead the Mudcats (19-22) to the series opening victory. Webb opened his outing by recording seven straight outs and had six strikeouts over the first three innings before allowing a Buies Creek (23-17) hit for the first time in the fourth. 
Webb also walked six, including three in the third, but made it through the fifth without allowing a run. He left the game with one out and one on in the sixth and finished with eight strikeouts, six walks and just one run allowed on two hits over five and 1/3 innings.
The Mudcats led from start to finish in Friday's series opening victory. Their first run came in the first after back-to-back doubles from Keston Hiura and Neuhaus. Neuhaus' double brought in Hiura as the game's first run. Hiura's double, meanwhile, was his team leading 12th of the season.
Ryan Aguilar brought in the second Carolina run with a two-out RBI single off Astros starter Gabriel Valdez in the second. Valdez (0-2, 7.20) allowed two runs on four hits over two and 2/3 innings while taking the loss. 
Reliever Roniel Blanco followed Valdez and ended up retiring seven straight between the third and fifth innings before giving way to reliever Carson LaRue in the sixth. The Mudcats rallied for one run in the sixth against LaRue and had a 3-0 lead before the Astros came back with a run in the sixth to cut the lead to 3-1.
McDowell later lifted the Mudcats to a 4-1 lead in the eighth after hitting a solo home run off LaRue. The home run was McDowell's first of the season and part of a two RBI night for Carolina's catcher. McDowell also caught two base runners attempting to steal, bringing his Minor League Baseball leading total to 25 caught steals on the season.
LaRue gave up McDowell's home run and allowing two runs on one hit over three innings pitched. He also walked four and struck out four out of the Buies Creek bullpen. Robert Corniel pitched the ninth for the Astros and ended up allowing two Carolina runs on three hits in his Carolina League debut. Neuhaus had a RBI single in the Carolina ninth and Dallas Carroll had a run scoring sacrifice fly.
The Mudcats led 6-1 heading into the ninth, but the Astros managed to rally for three runs while getting run scoring hits from Ronnie Dawson and Abraham Toro in the final frame. Luke Barker (S, 2) eventually finished out the ninth in place of reliever Conor Harber and wound up recording his second save after retiring one batter and getting the Mudcats out of a jam to win the game.
Harber started the ninth, but originally entered the game in place of Webb in the sixth. He allowed one inherited runner to score in the sixth before keeping the Astros scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings. Harber later gave up three runs in the ninth, but earned his first hold of the season while keeping the Astros from taking the lead. Harber struck out three, walked two and allowed six hits in his appearance.
The Carolina offense walked a season high seven times in Friday's series opening victory. They also went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. The game also ran a season long three hours and 33 minutes.
Carolina took a 1-0 series lead with the 6-4 victory and improved to 1-3 in their current six game road trip. The trip and series will continue on Saturday night beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. 
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