Mudcats easily defeat Jacksonville

Published in Sports on July 6, 2006 2:03 PM

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Paul Mildren pitched seven strong innings, while Kevin Randel and Edgar Gonzalez each drove in two runs as Carolina defeated Jacksonville 7-2 at the Baseball Grounds on Wednesday night.

Mildren (7-7) became the first seven-game winner on the staff, working with a thin lead most of the game. Up 2-0 after a half-inning, Mildren allowed a game-tying double in the third to Nick Alvarez, but stayed tied when Gonzalez made a diving catch of a soft liner at short to end the inning.

Gonzalez then drove in the tie-breaking run on a sacrifice fly to left-center in the fifth for a 3-2 lead. Randel's homer came with one out in the seventh as Carolina (8-9) moved ahead 5-2.

Mildren fanned seven, giving him 100 for the season, second most in the Southern League. Scott Tyler and Christopher Young each pitched a scoreless inning to wrap up the series evening win.

Lee Mitchell had three hits to pace the Mudcats' offense, his first three-hit game since June 10.

Carolina sends Jose Garcia (2-2, 2.67) to the hill on tonight at 7:05 against Heath Totten (7-4, 3.39).

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Syracuse 3, Durham 2 (10 innings)

DURHAM -- Ryan Roberts scored a run in the top of the 10th inning to lead the Syracuse SkyChiefs to a 3-2 victory over the Durham Bulls in an International League game Wednesday.

Roberts singled, stole second base, then advanced to third on a throwing error by Bulls catcher Kevin Cash. He then scored on a single by Luis Figueroa.

Durham tied the game in the 9th inning when Elijah Dukes scored on a single by Rodney Nye. B.J. Upton got the Bulls' only other run in the first, scoring on a ground out by Delmon Young.

Syracuse got two runs in the second, the first when Jason Phillips scored on Roberts' sacrifice fly. Cosby then scored on a fly out by Sergio Santos.

Brandon League (3-2) got the win, and Lee Gronkiewicz got the save. Joshua Johnson (0-1) took the loss.