Winston Salem – Trey Supak pitched through a career high eight scoreless innings and Troy Stokes Jr. was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs as the Mudcats snapped a five game losing streak with an 8-0 shutout victory against the Dash in Winston-Salem on Sunday afternoon.
Supak (2-3, 5.65) allowed just two hits, walked one and struck out three while working through his scoreless effort and leading the Mudcats (45-41, 9-9) to the losing streak snapping victory. He retired the side in order in the first and retired 18 straight between giving up a double to Brandon Dulin in the second and a single to Daniel Gonzalez in the eighth. Supak pitched to a game score 85 and worked through the eighth with 93 pitches, including 58 for strikes.
Stokes drove in Carolina’s first run of the game with a solo home run off Dash (32-56, 8-10) starter Bernardo Flores in the first. The home run was Stokes’ team leading 13th of the season and the first of three runs (two earned) allowed over the first three innings by Flores (0-2, 6.60). Stokes also had a run scoring single in the eighth, a run scoring ground out in the ninth, two stolen bases and two walks in the game.
The Mudcats led 1-0 going into the third before Stokes and Lucas Erceg both scored on a RBI double from Jake Gatewood. Stokes scored from second on the Gatewood double and Erceg managed to come across all the way from first after an error on the play by left fielder Jameson Fisher.
Carolina led 3-0 after the third and would later added runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings while totaling eight runs on 10 hits in the road victory.
Luis Aviles drove in a run in the seventh with a RBI single, Trent Clark tripled and scored a run on Stokes’ RBI single in the eighth and both Jose Cuas and Brandon Diaz had run scoring hits in the ninth. Cuas had a RBI triple in the ninth and was 1-for-4 in the game. Diaz had a RBI double in the ninth and was 1-for-5.
The Dash used five pitchers in Sunday’s game, including four relievers after Flores left in the fifth with three runs (two earned) allowed on four hits. Flores also walked five and struck out five in the loss.
Ian Hamilton pitched through the end of the fifth and left in the sixth with one unearned run allowed on two hits over an inning and 2/3. Mike Morrison also pitched through an inning and 2/3 after working through part of the seventh and all of the eighth for Winston-Salem. Morrison gave up a run on two hits and struck out three. Victor Diaz later worked part of the ninth, but allowed three runs on two hits all while recording just two outs. Ryan Riga later pitched the end of the ninth and retired the only batter he faced.
Wuilder Rodriguez pitched the ninth for the Mudcats and retired the side in order while finishing the game.
The Mudcats will look for a four game series split with starter Cody Ponce (7-6, 3.25) on the mound for today’s series finale in Winston-Salem. Monday’s game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at BB&T Ballpark.
