Yu-Cheng Chang hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-all, but Lynchburg’s bats went silent after that, as Potomac used four different multi-run innings to claim a 10-1 contest at City Stadium Monday night.
As the second batter in the lineup, Yu-Cheng Chang drilled a ball to left field that hit the scoreboard and fell back into play for Cheng’s first home run of the year. The 20-year-old shortstop from Taiwan went deep for Lake County nine times in 2015. His homer tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the first after Potomac struck first with a run on three hits in the visitor’s half.
Following the Cheng home run, Lynchburg did not record a hit until the eighth inning. Meanwhile, Potomac’s Dale Carey gave the Nationals the lead with a two-run single in the second. Potomac added two unearned runs in the third inning, and tacked on three more runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run homer by Carey. The clean-up hitter Dale Carey finished the game 3-for-6 with four RBIs to lead the Nationals’ offense.
Potomac scored its final two in the eighth with a two-run base hit by Alec Keller. The Nationals tallied 17 hits for the game, including five doubles and a home run.
Sean Brady (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs, five earned, in four innings. Jordan Milbrath worked three scoreless innings of middle relief, while Robbie Aviles struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth innings. Boone Whiting (1-0) earned the victory with five strong innings in which he only faced one more than the minimum. For the game, the Hillcats only sent 29 batters to the plate. Andrew Robinson struck out three in three innings, while Koda Glover set the Hillcats down in order in the ninth.
SHORT HOPS
Greg Allen didn’t have a chance to show off his speed on the bases, but he did on defense…Rated the “Best Defensive Outfielder” in the Indians system by Baseball America, the center fielder made two spectacular defensive plays, one diving catch in the left-center field gap and a leaping catch while running down another hard hit baseball an inning later.
ON DECK
Lynchburg has a quick turnaround, as the Hillcats host Potomac Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. It is “Say No To Drugs” Day at City Stadium, and more than a thousand local area students will be in attendance for an educational program prior to the game. Fans can tune in to the early contest on 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com.
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Chris Graham
