Minor league baseball

Published in Sports on June 14, 2006 2:04 PM

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K-Tribe notches another victory

KINSTON -- A night of comebacks was won in the end by the K-Tribe on a bases-loaded infield single by Stephen Head for a 3-2 Kinston triumph.

Lynchburg reliever Yoann Torrealba (4-4) picked up the loss, walking three of the first four batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth -- loading the bases for Head's infield single.

With two strikes on him, Head chopped a pitch barely a third of the way down the third base line, just out of the grasp of the Hillcats catcher as Micah Schilling scored. The walkoff win put a damper on a Lynchburg comeback, as the Hillcats scored two runs in the top of the ninth to tie the score at two.

Ryan Knippschild (3-1) picked up the win, pitching to two Hillcat batters after the Lynchburg comeback in the ninth. Jensen Lewis got his fourth straight no-decision, giving up six hits and striking out five in 5 1/3 innings. Reid Santos, picked up his fifth hold of the season pitching 2 2/3 innings of hitless ball.

Kinston won its 44th game of the first half, now just three wins away from setting the franchise record for wins in the first half of the season.

The K-Tribe will play a doubleheader of two seven-inning games starting today at 5 p.m. Chuck Lofgren will start game one, with Scott Roehl set to start game two tonight at Grainger Stadium.

NOTES: Trevor Crowe was named Carolina League Hitter of the Week for the week ending June 11 ... Crowe is now second in the Carolina League with a .329 average, first in hits with 72, first in on-base percentage with .449, first in runs scored with 51 and second in stolen bases with 29. ... This is Crowe's first Carolina League Hitter of the Week award. Ryan Goleski won the award twice this year and Brian Barton won it once.

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SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Barons 6, Mudcats 4

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Barons scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to spur past Carolina 6-4 in the series opener on Tuesday night.

Birmingham (29-37) scored four against relievers Manu Olivera (3-2) and Matt Yourkin to overcome a 3-2 deficit.

Brett Carroll doubled and tripled to lead the Mudcats, driving in Carolina's first three runs of the night. Carroll doubled to left field in the fifth to tie the game 2-2, then nearly circled the bases in the seventh on a drive that soared over centerfielder Darren Blakeley's head. Carroll rounded third, but was thrown out at home on a relay toss from first baseman Corey Smith.

James Russ allowed two runs over his five-inning start, fanning five.

With the loss, the Mudcats (30-36) were assured of their first losing half since becoming affiliated with the Florida Marlins in 2003.

Birmingham defeated the Mudcats for the seventh straight game dating back to last season.

The second game of the series is today at 12:05 p.m. Anibal Sanchez will start for the Mudcats against Ray Liotta.

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INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Durham 3, Buffalo 2

DURHAM -- Kevin Witt scored the go-ahead run on an errant throw, leading the Durham Bulls to a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Bisons in an International League game Tuesday.

The Bulls trailed 2-1 in the seventh when B.J. Upton hit a double, scoring Joey Gathright.

Witt then scored the winning run on the errant throw by Bisons third baseman Andy Marte.

Chad Orvella (2-0) got the win, pitching two scoreless innings in relief. Jon Switzer pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up his second save of the season.