WRAL Sports Fan

Mudcats

Mudcats claim pitchers' duel

Jun 11, 2012

Zebulon, N.C. — The Carolina Mudcats knocked off the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 3-1 in front of 2,325 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium. The win salvaged a split of the series for the Mudcats (30-33).

Mike Rayl (4-6) snapped a personal three-game losing skid by tossing five innings. The lefty held the Pelicans to one run on five hits, despite working into several deep counts. He walked three and struck out four.

Three relievers combined to finish the game for the Mudcats. Jose Flores picked up his 10th save with a scoreless ninth. Shawn Armstrong dealt two frames, and Tyler Sturdevant threw a perfect sixth.

Kyle Hendricks (1-7) takes another tough loss for the Pelicans (32-31). Hendricks surrendered two runs and five hits over six innings, his eighth quality start of the year. He struck out five without allowing a walk.

Carolina used the long ball to stake an advantage. Leading 1-0 in the second inning, Anthony Gallas lined his fourth home run of 2012 over the left field wall to put the Mudcats up two.

Myrtle Beach threatened twice in the fourth and fifth innings with two on and no out. They manufactured one run to cut the lead in half on a sacrifice fly by Yefry Castillo. However, Rayl was able to pitch out of both jams to preserve his one-run lead.

Ronny Rodriguez tacked on the third run with a solo blast of the scoreboard in left to lead off the seventh.

The Mudcats begin a seven-day excursion through the commonwealth of Virginia on Monday. The team opens a three-game series with the Lynchburg Hillcats at 7:05 p.m. Carolina returns home to host Wilmington and Frederick on June 21.