Carolina outlasts Birmingham

Published in Sports on June 16, 2006 2:06 PM

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Brett Carroll's check-swing single started a two-run rally in the ninth, then his diving catch preserved the Carolina in the bottom of the inning as the Mudcats defeated Birmingham 5-3 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on Thursday night.

Carroll reached with one out in the ninth against Ehren Wassermann (1-4) on a dribbling single up the third base line, then advanced on one of five Barons errors as first baseman Corey Smith dropped Micah Schnurstein's late throw. Jamie Athas, who homered in the seventh to tie the game, dropped a single into left-center to score Carroll. The Mudcats (31-37) would add one more run in the inning as Athas was awarded home on a Wassermann balk.

Paul Mildren (5-5) allowed six hits and three runs in eight innings and pitched his fifth consecutive quality start, while becoming the winningest pitcher on the staff.

Carolina went ahead 1-0 in the second inning as Lee Mitchell scored on a single to right by Rex Rundgren, which Collaro overran for an error. Mitchell had clubbed his league-tying 21st double.

Birmingham (30-38) tied the game in the fourth, then Gustavo Molina hit a two-run homer in the fifth to lift the Barons to the lead.

Edgar Gonzalez hit Lance Broadway's first pitch of the sixth out for a left-centerfield home run, then Athas' game-tying blast occurred in the seventh.

Carolina snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Barons, defeating Birmingham for the first time since June 25, 2005.

Jose Garcia (1-0, 0.00) will make his second Double-A start for Carolina today against Tyler Lumsden (7-2, 3.45) at 8:05 p.m.

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INTERNATIONAL LEAUGE

Buffalo 3-4, Durham 0-0

DURHAM -- The Buffalo Bisons used dominating pitching to hold the Durham Bulls to just three hits in two games, leading the Bisons to a two-game sweep in the International League on Thursday.

The Bisons took the first game 3-0 and the second 4-0.

Buffalo got a home run in the fourth inning of game one from Ryan Garko and one in the fifth from Lou Merloni. The Bisons then got their third run in the seventh.

Jeremy Sowers (8-1), got the win, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out two. Jason Hammel (3-5) pitched a complete game for the loss, allowing three runs on four hits.

In the second game, Buffalo got a pair of runs in the second inning on Andy Marte's home run and another two runs in the sixth inning on Jeremy Cooper's two-run triple.

Bear Bay (1-0) made his Triple-A debut by allowing only one hit in five innings of work. Brian Stokes (3-4) took the loss for Durham.