Mudcats earn extra innings win

Published in Sports on August 25, 2008 12:56 PM

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Alberto Concepcion drilled a two-strike pitch for a game-winning home run in the 10th inning as first-place Carolina reduced its magic number to three with a 6-5 victory over Huntsville on Sunday night at Joe Davis Stadium.

The Mudcats (38-24) blew a 5-1 lead in the ninth only to have Concepcion hit his first Mudcats' home run since July 5th.

In the Stars' (28-34) ninth, a two-out, two-run infield single by Freddy Parejo nicked off the end of Chris Coghlan's dive at third as the Stars overcame a four-run deficit.

Carolina's lead in the Northern Division remained at six games over second place Tennessee.

after the Smokies clubbed Chattanooga 10-1. There are eight games left in the regular season.

Willie Glen, who was looking to become Carolina's first 10-game winner, carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Parejo singled to center.

Gaby Sanchez went 2-4 with two doubles and four RBI, moving to second on the single-season list for RBI with 88. Sanchez hit a three-run double in the seventh to boost Carolina's lead to 5-1.

Huntsville rallied to tie the game in the last of the ninth against Todd Doolittle and Chris Mobley.

An error on Coghlan at third started the inning, with two of the next three hitters singling against Doolittle to load the bases.

Chris Errecart drove a two-run double off of the base of the left-center field wall to cut the deficit to 5-3.

After Mobley checked in, Michael Bell struck out, but Parejo rolled a single off of Coghlan's dive toward shortstop, scoring two runs to tie the score.

Graham Taylor (2-0, 3.24) starts against Brae Wright (6-10, 3.66) Monday night at 8:05 PM ET.