Mudcats fall again

Published in Sports on April 10, 2007 1:48 PM

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HOOVER, Ala. -- Kris Honel and two Birmingham relievers combined on a two-hit shutout as Carolina lost its fourth straight game 5-0 to the Barons at Regions Park on Monday night.

Honel (1-0), making his first start since August 2005 after missing all of last season following right elbow surgery, retired 18 of the 20 batters he faced, allowing singles to Lee Mitchell in the second inning and Jose Campusano in the sixth. Fernando Hernandez and Carlos Vazquez collaborated on the final three perfect innings in shutting out Carolina for the second time in three games.

Meanwhile, James Brauer (0-1) suffered the loss in the start. Brauer flew into central Alabama earlier in the day from Jupiter, Florida after scheduled starter Rick Vanden Hurk was promoted to the major leagues. Vanden Hurk will start Tuesday night in Miami against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Brauer's evening began when his college teammate Chris Getz tripled into right-center on his second pitch, and then scored on a single to center by Chris Kelly. The Barons (4-1) would add one more run in the first and two more in the fourth before Brauer was relieved by Christopher Young. Birmingham completed the scoring by pushing across a seventh inning run against reliever Scott Tyler on a bases loaded infield single by Jeremy West.

Carolina (1-4) hit just .140 and managed 11 runs in the series against the Barons.

Bulls get shutout

DURHAM -- The Bulls dominated on the mound and at the plate with starter Mitch Talbot (1-0) throwing six hitless innings and right fielder Jeremy Owens hitting a grand slam as the Bulls won their third straight game, 5-0 over Pawtucket on Monday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The Bulls flirted with a combined no-hitter for the second time this season, but Pawtucket third baseman Chad Spann broke it up with a single in the top of the eighth inning.

Talbot had the most impressive Triple-A debut of the Montgomery championship trio that moved up to Durham this season, throwing six innings with no hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.

Right hander Steve Andrade relieved Talbot in the seventh and retired the side with two strikeouts and a fly out.

Owens' grand slam came off of Sox starter Abe Alvarez (0-1) in the second.