07/06/07 — Mudcats finally topples Jacksonville

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Mudcats finally topples Jacksonville

Published in Sports on July 6, 2007 1:48 PM

ZEBULON -- That long slump against Southern Division opponents finally ended for Carolina on Thursday evening.

Eric Riggs ripped a fifth-inning home run and catapulted the Mudcats to a 5-2 victory over Jacksonville at Five County Stadium. Riggs' fourth homer of the season snapped a 2-2 tie and ended Carolina's 16-game futility among its Southern Division foes.

Riggs' dinger ignited a three-run uprising for Carolina, which had lost eight straight games to the Suns. Chase Lambin and Lee Mitchell followed Riggs' blast with back-to-back doubles. The extra-base hits knocked Jacksonville starter Alvis Ojeda, who threw a perfect fourth inning, off the mound.

Mitchell plated Lambin for his 52nd RBI of the season and trails Mississippi's Brandon Jones, the Southern League leader, by 10. Jai Miller scored Mitchell on a groundout to cap the three-run rally.

Carolina starter Jimmy Serrano (2-1) pitched six innings and yielded two runs off two base hits. Mauro Zarate and Chris Mobley combined for three scoreless innings.