Tennessee takes doubleheader from Carolina

Published in Sports on July 27, 2007 1:47 PM

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SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee profited from a two-run, seventh-inning rally and claimed a doubleheader sweep 3-2 and 3-0 against Carolina at Smokies Park on Thursday evening.

Leading 2-1 in the seventh, the Mudcats turned the ball over the closer Chris Mobley, who couldn't shut the door. He permitted a pinch-hit single by Issmael Salas and an RBI double to Sam Fuld. Jemel Spearman, who homered twice on Wednesday, blooped a 1-0 pitch just inside the left-field line to score Fuld.

Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Brett Hayes looped a single over first baseman Alan Rick to tie the game. Johnny Raburn drove an opposite-field single to left to break the 1-1 tie.

Gaby Hernandez, lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth, worked four solid innings on just 48 pitches. Scott Nestor pitched two scoreless innings to get the game to Mobley for the seventh.

In the nightcap, Robinson Chirinos snapped an 0-for-16 start with a two-run home run to crack a scoreless tie. Fuld provided the final margin with an RBI sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Carolina brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but Jai Miller grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Mudcats hurler Blake McGinley (3-7), who retired the first 10 batters he faced, took the loss.

Tennessee leads the series 3-1 with the finale scheduled tonight.