Mudcats snap skid

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on April 13, 2007 3:02 PM

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PEARL, Miss. -- Gaby Hernandez and two relievers combined for a four-hit shutout and Carolina snapped a six-game skid with a 2-0 decision over Mississippi at Trustmark Park.

Hernandez carried the shutout into the sixth inning before Craig Molldrem took the mound with two runners aboard and no outs. Molldrem induced an inning-ending, double-play grounder and relinquished the mound to bullpen mate Kurt Koehler.

Koehler threw the final two innings and collected his third career save.

Carolina (2-6 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. Jonny Raburn laced an 0-2 pitch to center field and advanced to third on Rex Rundgren's base hit. Rundgren, on an 0-2 count, broke for second base and Braves' catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia overthrew the base.

Raburn scored and Rundgren was tagged out at third to end the inning. Mississippi coaches argued that Ryan Bear took a check swing at Dan Smith's pitch, but lost their appeal and Raburn's mark stood.

Frank Moore's ninth-inning single and a Braves error led to the Mudcats' second run. Moore scored on Jai Miller's sacrifice fly.

Joey Devine, a former Atlanta Braves reliever, pitched the final two innings for Mississippi. The N.C. State graduate yielded an unearned run and fanned two Mudcat batters.

Game four is today at 8:05 p.m.

Bulls edge Red Sox

DURHAM -- Elliot Johnson singled up the middle through a drawn-in infield to score Justin Ruggiano with the winning run as the Bulls beat the Pawtucket Red Sox, 3-2 on Thursday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Ruggiano led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk, stole second and went to third on a wild throw from catcher George Kottaras into centerfield. Jorge Velandia walked, and then Johnson hit a dribbler up the middle just past the glove of Bobby Scales to win the game.

Durham led 2-0 heading into the top of the ninth inning but the Bulls couldn't seal the win.

Reliever Scott Dohmann gave up a one-out double to Kottaras who scored one out later on an RBI-double by Chad Spann. Pinch-hitter Scales followed with a single to left field scoring Spann to tie the game.

Dohmann (2-0) picked up the win pitching one inning and allowing two runs on three hits, all in the ninth inning.

Jeff Niemann, Jeff Ridgeway and Chad Orvella combined for eight scoreless innings for the Bulls. RHP Craig Hansen (0-1) took the loss for the Sox pitching two innings allowing one run on five hits and two walks.

The Bulls begin an International League series today at Toledo.