Chico shuts down Mudcats

By Steve Roush
Published in Sports on June 2, 2006 2:14 PM

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SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Matt Chico allowed two hits over six innings and smacked his first pro homer to champion Tennessee to a 12-1 victory over the Carolina Mudcats at Smokies Park on Thursday night.

Chico (1-0) allowed just a second-inning homer to J.C. Muniz before sailing through his six frames for his first Double-A win since May 4, 2005, his only other Double-A triumph.

Adam Bostick (4-3) saw his four-start winning streak for the Mudcats (26-29) come to an abrupt end, allowing a season-high 10 hits over three innings and seven runs. Jamie D'Antona hit his second homer of the series, a two-run shot in the first to hand the Smokies (27-28) a 2-0 lead. The Smokies scored one unearned run in the second, four in the third before Bostick parted.

Tennessee, which moved ahead of Carolina for sole possession of third place, claimed the series 4-1. The Smokies added two more runs in the fourth and then Chico blasted a pitch from reliever Scott Tyler in the fifth.

After Chris Mobley and Matt Yourkin combined for 22/3 scoreless innings, infielder Jamie Athas made his pitching debut, allowing three hits and a run in the eighth.

Of Carolina's four hits, Muniz had two, while Rex Rundgren and Lee Mitchell had a single apiece.

Carolina ended its 10-game roadtrip 4-6, and returns home three games below .500 after reaching the even-water mark twice during the trip.

James Russ (2-5, 4.07) starts the opener against the Mississippi Braves today at 7:15 p.m. against Dan Curtis (2-5, 4.91).

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Buffalo 15, Durham 0

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Jason Dubois hit a first-inning grand slam to power the Buffalo Bisons to a 15-0 win over the Durham Bulls in the International League on Thursday.

Dubois had five RBIs while Ben Francisco and Ramon Vazquez had three RBIs apiece for the Bisons (28-27).

Rob Bell (4-4) pitched 51/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win for Buffalo.

The Bisons struck for five runs in the first inning off Durham starter Edwin Jackson Jr. (3-5), who was roughed up for five hits and seven runs, six earned in 31/3 innings.

Jackson struck out six, but walked four batters and hit another.

Buffalo removed all doubt by scoring six runs in the bottom of the fourth to increase its lead to 11-0. The Bisons scored two runs in the sixth and two more in the eight.

Darnell McDonald had two hits for Durham (27-24).