The Carolina Mudcats have forced a rubber game in their five-game road series with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
Todd Frazier (pictured) followed Juan Francisco’s single off Luis Villereal (0-1) with a three-run homer in the ninth, leading the Mudcats to a 6-4 victory over West Tenn that was their second straight win.
Greg Atencio (1-0) earned the win in his first game as a Mudcat, pitching a perfect eighth inning before Sean Watson pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his fifth save of the season and first since June 18.
Travis Garcia hit a two-run homer in the first for West Tenn the early lead, before each team scored twice in the third.
Before Zack Cozart’s single in the ninth, Steve Bray had worked six perfect innings for West Tenn.
The Mudcats are now seven games behind first-place Chattanooga, which leads West Tenn by two games in the Southern League’s North Division.
Carolina’s 10-game road trip as well as the season series with West Tenn ends tonight, with Jeremy Horst (0-2, 9.31) taking on West Tenn’s Nick Hill (3-4, 3.02) at 8:05 p.m. (EDT).
