April 16, 2004 Farm Report: Carolina Mudcats

Marlins Insider provides you with a game by game review of the Marlins Double A affiliate Carolina Mudcats for the games from April 10th through April 14th.

Saturday
April 10, 2004
Doubleheader
Game 1
Mobile Bay Bears 6 Carolina Mudcats 5

Mudcats left-handed starter Bill Murphy, who was acquired from the Oakland A's as part of the Mark Redman deal, had a rough outing going 4.2 innings giving up 4 earned runs off 4 hits and 2 walks. He did however strike out 5.

The Mudcats were still able to regain the lead by the 6th on the strength of 3B Joe Dillon's 2 run homerun. Dillon had hit 4 homeruns in 3 games.

The lead was short lived however as reliever Kevin Cave gave up 2 solo homeruns on a total of 5 pitches in the 7th to reliquish the lead and earn himself the loss.

Game 2
Mobile Bay Bears 7 Carolina Mudcats 1

Right-handed pitcher Ronald Belizario, who is considered one of the Marlins top pitching prospects did not display as much this outing in giving up 4 earned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings pitched. He did strike out 3.

The only run of the game for the Mudcats came courtesy of LF Chip Ambres who scored on an error. Ambres was the lone offensive star of the game going 1-3 with a stolen base.


Monday
April 12, 2004
Carolina Mudcats 5 Huntsville Stars 0

The Mudcats returned to winning form as the Marlins got a combined shutout from the efforts of their three pitchers on the night.

Starter Peter Bauer went 5.2 innings giving up only 2 hits while striking out 4. Mike McNutt pitched 2.1 innings of no hit ball and Jarrod Fuell finished up the game pitching a perfect ninth with 2 strikeouts.

The offensive for the Mudcats also returned to form as 1B Jason Stokes supplied a two run double. Stokes went 1-3 on the evening with 2 Ks. Eric Reed went 1-5 with a run scored. Josh Willingham went 0-3 with a run scored, Pat Magness went 1-4 with a two RBI double. Jimmy Goelz went 2-4 with two doubles, one of which supplied an RBI.

The victory brought the Mudcats record to 3-2 on the season.


Wednesday
Doubleheader
Game 1
Carolina Mudcats 5 Huntsville Stars 0

Pitchers Trevor Hutchinson and Kevin Cave combined to pitch a no-hitter. Hutchinson pitched the first 6 innings before being lifted by a pinch hitter after reaching his pitch count limit for the game. Kevin Cave came in to finish off the last 3 innings.

Josh Willingham provided a 2 run homerun and Jimmy Goelz also added a homerun for the Cats.

Game 2
Carolina Mudcats 5 Huntsville Stars 1

Starting pitcher Nic Ungs had a solid outing going 4.2 innings giving up only 1 unearned run on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2. Reliever Pete Hartmann picked up the win however for his 1.1 innings of work giving up only 1 hit while striking out each of the 4 batters he faced.

3B Joe Dillon continued his outstanding start going 4-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Dillon leads the team with a .545 batting average as well homeruns and RBI with 4 and 10 respectively.

CF Eric Reed went 3-4 in the game with 2 runs scored and a stolen base. 2B Josh Wilson went 1-4 with a stolen base, and Jason Stokes went 1-4 with an RBI single.

The doubleheader sweep takes the Mudcats season record to 5-2.