Mudcats finish grand homestand

Published in Sports on August 14, 2006 2:18 PM

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ZEBULON -- Kevin Randel homered and scored four times as Carolina completed an eight-win homestand with a 7-2 victory over Birmingham on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

Randel hit a two-run homer in the fifth against Corwin Malone (9-9) to stretch the Mudcats' lead to 5-2. Randel walked his other three plate appearances, stole one base and was knocked in every time.

Carolina (22-28) finished an 8-2 homestand after a 2-8 road trip, and moved to within eight games of first-place Tennessee with 20 games remaining in the regular season.

Adam Bostick (8-7) won his third consecutive start, working into the eighth inning for the first time this season. Bostick fanned five, allowed seven hits and did not walk a batter for just the second time in 2006.

Malone, however, was not in such sharp command. Each starting pitcher entered the game in the top five in the league in walks. Malone walked a season-high seven batters, four of which scored. Carolina's offense received 10 walks in the game, with six runs coming across.

Carolina travels to Huntsville, Ala. today to begin a five-game series at Joe Davis Stadium on Tuesday night at 8:05 p.m. James Russ will oppose Huntsville right-hander Corey Thurman.