Mudcats edges Huntsville

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 23, 2007 1:48 PM

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Gaby Hernandez scattered two hits in an eight-inning stint and Dante Brinkley smacked a two-run homer in Carolina's 3-1 victory over Huntsville at Joe Davis Stadium.

The Mudcats (29-29) claimed their third consecutive win in the series. Hernandez out-dueled 11-game winner Lindsay Gulin as Carolina pulled within four games of the Northern Division leaders with 12 regular-season contests left.

Hernandez (9-9) permitted a first-inning double and held the Stars hitless until Steve Sollman connected on an eighth-inning double.

Brandon Villafuerte tossed a perfect ninth for his second save of the series.

Gulin, a 30-year-old southpaw, gave up a third-inning single to Hernandez. Brinkley swatted Gulin's next pitch inside the left-field pole, giving him five homers in his last 10 outings and 11 overall for the season.

The Mudcats tacked on an insurance run when Eric Riggs stretched a double to a triple, then scored on a two-out wild pitch from Gulin as he walked Lee Mitchell.

The Stars (33-25) had only two hits for the second straight game. Carolina won for the sixth straight time on the road, matching the second-longest streak in club history.