Carolina fell to 17-11 and slipped 2 1/2 games behind North Division leader Huntsville (Ala.) in the Southern League. Huntsville won its eighth straight contest Thursday night.
West Tenn (18-10) scored five early runs against Carolina starter Aaron Thompson, who dropped to 0-3. Thompson allowed seven earned in 5 1/3 innings and was plagued by six walks.
The Diamond Jaxx led 5-0 after two innings highlighted by Jon Nelson's two-run double and Prentice Redman's two-run home run.
The Mudcats bounced back in the third when Chris Coghlan and Cameron Maybin each scored a run on ground balls.
John Raynor cranked a two-run shot in the eighth inning to pull Carolina to 9-4, but they would get no closer despite loading the bases in the ninth.
Justin Thomas (1-2) earned the win for West Tenn.
Willie Glen (3-0, 2.20 earned run average) starts tonight against West Tenn's Chris Jakubauskas (3-0, 0.93) at 7:15.