Smokies blank Mudcats

Published in Sports on April 26, 2006 2:05 PM

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SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Micah Owings pitched six shutout innings and delivered a key two-run double in sixth inning uprising as Tennessee blanked Carolina 6-0 at Smokies Park on Tuesday night.

Owings, the Diamondbacks' third-round pick in last year's draft from Tulane, fanned five over six-plus innings, allowing only four singles. Then in the bottom of the sixth after Agustin Murillo and Steve Garrabrants broke open a 0-0 game against Ben Julianel (0-2) and Kevin Cave, Owings doubled inside the left field line to plate two more during a five-run inning.

Julianel, who entered the game with the league's second best ERA at 0.96, pitched admirably through trouble in the first few innings, stranding five Smokies baserunners in five innings, and limiting Tennessee to 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position before the breakthrough.

Carolina managed just five hits in the game, and was shut out for the second time in the five-game series. Jose Campusano, who entered the game as the league's top hitter with a .390 average, went 2-for-4 with two more stolen bases to lift his average to .397.

The game was delayed about 45 minutes before the first pitch due to rain. The Mudcats (7-13) scored just eight runs in the five-game set, four of them losses to Tennessee (9-11).

The Mudcats return home to begin a 10-game, 11-day homestand tonight with Anibal Sanchez (1-2, 2.78) starting against Chattanooga at Five County Stadium.