07/22/2006 12:34 AM ET

Garcia flirts with perfect game

Mudcats righty retires first 18 batters in 8-2 win over Stars

By Carl Dispoto / Special to MLB.com

 

 

 

 

Jose Garcia took a perfect game into the seventh inning on Friday night as the Carolina Mudcats rolled to an 8-2 victory over the Huntsville Stars at Five County Stadium.

Garcia (3-3) retired the first 18 batters, striking out 10, before surrendering a leadoff double to Travis Ezi in the seventh. He lost his bid for a shutout two batters later when Ryan Braun hit a run-scoring grounder.

 

The 21-year-old right-hander yielded a single to Brad Nelson and an RBI double to Jeffrey Eure before retiring Carlos Lee on a flyout to end the seventh. He did not return, falling one shy of a season high for strikeouts.

 

Kevin Randel had a homer and four RBIs and helped provide an early cushion for the Mudcats. Carolina scored in each of the first three innings to take a 6-0 lead and held on for its fourth win in 12 games.

 

Randel hit an RBI single in the first to give Carolina (12-17) a 2-0 edge and capped a three-run second with a sacrifice fly. Brett Carroll homered to start the third and Randel smacked a two-run homer, his 10th, in the seventh.

 

Stars starter Tim Dillard (6-7) was shelled for five runs -- four earned -- on six hits and a pair of walks in a season-low 1 1/3 innings.

 

Braun went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 11 games for the Stars (11-18), who have lost six of their last seven contests.

Wasn't Ezi the PTBNL that we got in the Encarnacion trade?

Wasn't Ezi the PTBNL that we got in the Encarnacion trade?

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

and hot damn about Jose :o

 

I thought he was promoted to AAA, I guess he was optioned down again.

Wasn't Ezi the PTBNL that we got in the Encarnacion trade?

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

and hot damn about Jose :o

 

I thought he was promoted to AAA, I guess he was optioned down again.

 

 

Yup...he started 1 game there because they had injuries.