Winston-Salem used a four-run eighth inning to erase a three-run Lynchburg lead to steal away a 7-6 victory on Friday night at BB&T Ballpark. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak by the Hillcats.
DOWN EARLY, QUICK RESPONSE
Salem jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Eddie Alvarez scored from second on a fielding error byIvan Castillo and Jake Peter scored on a groundout by Keon Barnum. However, in the top of the second inning, Eric Haaserecorded his eighth home run of the year with a solo shot to left field that brought the Hillcats within one, 2-1.
TAKING CHARGE
In the top of the fourth inning, Nellie Rodriguez led off with a walk and came around to score on a RBI double by Dorssys Paulino to tie the game at 2-all.
LeVon Washington reached on a fielder’s choice that advanced Paulino to third. Castillo singled to right to bring Washingtonhome to give the Hillcats a 3-2 lead.
Following Castillo’s single, Yhoxian Medina recorded a base hit of his own to load the bases and Paul Hendrix drew a walk that scored Washington from third giving the Hillcats a 4-2 lead. In the top of the sixth, the runs kept coming for the Hillcats asCastillo scored all the way from first base on a RBI single by Paul Hendrix that gave Lynchburg a three-run lead, 5-2.
Clint Frazier capped off the scoring with a RBI triple that scored Hendrix to put the Hillcats up 6-2 over Winston-Salem.
TROUBLE ON THE BACK STRETCH
Winston-Salem earned a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jake Peter tripled to centerfield and scored on a RBI groundout by Trey Michalczewski to make it 6-3. However, the real damage came in the bottom of the eighth inning. Perci Garner entered the game in relief of Michael Peoples who turned in yet another quality start, but the Dash quickly erased the three-run lead.
Garner gave up a lead off single to Adam Engel and walked the next two batters to load the bases. Grant Sides relievedGarner with no outs and the bases loaded and hit Michalczewski with the first pitch he threw to score Engel and bring the Dash within two.
With the bases still loaded and no one out, Keon Barnum roped a two-RBI double up the middle that tied the game at 6-all.Sides then faced a one-out, runners at second and third situation and sailed a wild pitch over the head of Haase that allowedMichalczewski to score from third giving the Dash the lead. The Hillcats went down in order in the top of the ninth and fell 7-6.
KEEPING UP WITH THE CATS
Dorssys Paulino recorded a RBI double in the fourth inning of the game…Paulino has recorded an RBI in 10 of his last 11 contests and has 13 total RBIs in 17 games with the Hillcats…Michael Peoples earned another no-decision after allowing just two earned runs over seven innings while striking out two…Peoples has turned in a quality start in seven of his last nine outings and has left with the lead in seven of his last nine as well…Peoples is just 3-0 in that span despite posting a 1.90 ERA.
UP NEXT
Lynchburg will look to rebound against the Winston-Salem Dash on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. Fans can tune in to the action on ESPN Virginia 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com beginning at 6:10 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.
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