Mitchell slugs walk-off homer for Mudcats

Published in Sports on May 12, 2006 2:07 PM

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Lee Mitchell hit a solo homer with one out in the 11th inning to send Carolina past Jacksonville 4-3 at the Baseball Grounds on Thursday night.

Mitchell blasted the pitch from T.J. Nall (0-2) just over the left field wall to cap the five-game series. Carolina won the first and the last, and will not see the Suns (20-15) again until the second half.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Carolina (15-20) took a 2-1 lead against Spike Lundberg on an infield single by Jose Campusano to score one run, then when Lundberg threw over first baseman AJ Zapp's head, a second run scored for the lead.

Jamie Athas belted his second homer of the year in the fifth for a 3-1 lead before the Suns began their comeback. Wilkin Ruan delivered a pinch-RBI single in the seventh, then the Suns tied the game in the eighth when Andy LaRoche, running at first, stole second base on a strikeout of Zapp, but Patrick Arlis' throw sailed into center. Alejandro DeAza overran the wild throw, allowing LaRoche to score to even the game.

Taylor Tankersley (2-1) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth with one out by fanning Chin Lung-Hu and Matt Kemp to carry the game into extra innings. Kemp had homered back in the fourth against starter Manuel Olivera.

Carolina went through six pitchers, including new lefties Matt Blank and Adam Brandenburg. Christopher Young pitched 11/3 innings, while Chris Mobley stranded the tying run at first in the 11th to record his third save.

Olivera pitched one-run ball over his four-inning spot start, filling in for the injured Ben Julianel.

The Mudcats return home to open a 10-game homestand today against Northern Division leading Chattanooga at 7:15 p.m. Adam Bostick (1-2, 3.41) starts for the Mudcats against Eddy Valdez (1-1, 3.72).