posted September 7, 2008
) Photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo) Winning pitcher Brett Sinkbeil is one of the top pitching prospects in the Florida Marlins organization. |
Both teams were winners of the second half in their respective divisions.
The Mudcats will host the first two games of the best-of-5 Championship Series.
Carolina Completes Sweep Over West Tenn
Brad Davis hit a three-run homer and three relievers combined on four scoreless innings Saturday as the Mudcats swept their way into the Southern League Finals with a 4-2 victory over the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
Carolina will play Mississippi as it tries to capture its first championship since 2003.
Davis, who also drove in three runs in the Mudcats' Game 2 win, went deep in the second inning after West Tenn scored twice in the opening frame, thanks to a throwing error by starting pitcher Brett Sinkbeil.
Chris De La Cruz, who went 6-for-11 with six RBIs during the best-of-5 series, preceded Davis' blast with a run-scoring single.
Sinkbeil (1-0) went five innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits while striking out three and walking two.
The Mudcats got five innings from their starting pitcher in each game, with the bullpen being handed a lead each time. Willie Glen allowed one run and struck out seven in the opener before Aaron Thompson allowed two runs in Game 2.
The Mudcats dependable bullpen had pitched four shutout innings in each of the previous two contests. Jeff Gogal tossed the fifth and Ryan Tucker followed with two scoreless innings, bringing his total for the series to four. Chris Mobley worked around a walk and a single in the ninth to notch the save.
West Tenn starter Luis Munoz (0-1) allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings.
Gregory Halman went 3-for-5 with a run scored and Thomas Hubbard singled and scored for the Diamond Jaxx.
Mississippi Sweeps Birmingham
Kris Medlen, 22-year-old right-hander struck out a career-high 12 in his first-ever complete game as the Braves completed a first-round sweep of the Barons with a 3-0 blanking in Game 3 at Trustmark Park.
Medlen scattered five hits without issuing a walk. He struck out the side in the second and fanned two more in the fourth. He allowed a leadoff single in the sixth but retired the next three batters, fanning two, then worked around a one-out double in the seventh by striking out two more.
The California native was selected by Atlanta in the 10th round of the 2006 Draft and did not make his first professional start until this season. Once he cracked the rotation, he went 6-5 with a 3.11 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 89 2/3 innings.
"It's been more challenging. You have to use all your pitches at different times as a starter and think pitch by pitch."
Kala Ka'aihue lifted a sacrifice fly in the first and Greg Creek hit an RBI single in the fourth to stake Medlen and the Braves to a 2-0 lead. Van Pope, who doubled twice, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth.
Birmingham starter Lucas Harrell (0-1) was the hard-luck loser after allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven over seven innings.
Victor Mercedes had two hits for the Barons.
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Adapted from MiLB.com
) Photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo) Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman was named the Southern League's Manager of the Year. |
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