Meneses drives in a season high four runs in 7-4 Mudcats victory

Joey Meneses drove in a season high four runs, both Stephen Gaylor and Omar Obregon had three hits, Raymar Navarro pitched through the fifth and Chase Johnson-Mullins earned his seventh save as the Mudcats defeated the Dash 7-4 in front of a crowd of 4,834 on Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

The Dash (25-37) led first after getting two, two-out run scoring doubles in the first from Nick Basto and Marcus Davis. The Mudcats (25-34), however, came back with a run in the first, three in the third and eventually opened the game up with a three run sixth, before Winston-Salem scored twice in the eighth.

Meneses had three RBI hits in the game and drove in runs in the first, third and sixth innings. He made it a 2-1 game with a RBI single in the first, broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run double in the third and stretched the lead to 7-2 after driving in one more with a single in the sixth inning. Meneses was 3-for-5 with a season high four RBI in the game.

Dash starter Stephen Adams allowed two of Meneses’ three run scoring hits on Saturday night. Adams (6-4, 3.95) pitched into the sixth and allowed seven runs on 10 hits over five and 2/3 innings pitched. He also finished with two walks and six strikeouts while taking the loss.

The Mudcats totaled 13 hits and were 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position on Saturday night. Gaylor was 3-for-5, Obregon was 3-for-4, Keith Curcio was 2-for-3 and Meneses was 3-for-5 in the victory. Gaylor and Obregon also both scored twice and Curcio drove in two in the victory. Those four combined for 11 of Carolina’s hits and hit one through four respectively in the lineup.

Navarro (4-1, 4.50) pitched around the two run first and worked through the fifth while earning the win. He gave up two hits and two runs in the first, but kept the Dash scoreless over the next four innings while yielding only one hit. The victory was his second as a starter this season and his fourth overall.

Zack Bird relieved Navarro and pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth before handing the game over to Carlos Salazar. Salazar also pitched through a bases loaded jam in the seventh before allowing a two-run home run to Brett Austin in the eighth. He finished his appearance with a season high four hits and season high two runs allowed over one and 1/3 innings pitched. Salazar also struck out one and walked one before leaving the game.

Johnson-Mullins (S, 7) entered in place of Salazar in the eighth and managed to go an inning and 2/3 scoreless while earning his seventh save of the season. He struck out one and allowed one hit in his seventh straight scoreless appearance.

The victory was Carolina’s second straight and put them up two games to one in the series. Game four of the four game set is scheduled for Sunday beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Zebulon at Five County Stadium.

This story was originally published June 11, 2016 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Meneses drives in a season high four runs in 7-4 Mudcats victory."