Lynchburg used a pair of two-run doubles from Greg Allen and Yu-Cheng Chang to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead in just two batters in the fifth inning. Later that frame, Bobby Bradley and Ivan Castillo added a pair of three-run homers to the tally as the Hillcats scored a season-high 12 runs to defeat the Dash, 12-6, at BB&T Ballpark Wednesday afternoon.
Except for the ninth inning, Lynchburg answered immediately every time Winston-Salem scored in the game. Nick Basto led off the second inning with a solo home run to begin the scoring for the Dash. However, Sicnarf Loopstok tripled to open the top of the third and scored one batter later on a groundout to shortstop by Ivan Castillo.
With the game tied, 1-1, Winston-Salem reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a three-run homer by Mason Robbinsthat brought in Marcus Davis and Louis Silverio as well. Robbins tripled in the eighth inning and scored again as part of his 4-for-4 day in which he hit for the cycle.
Following the three-run homer in the fourth, Lynchburg surged ahead for good on a 10-run fifth inning that featured 14 batters and seven hits.
Claudio Bautista began the decisive stanza with a walk, Loopstok singled to left, and Castillo was hit by pitch to load the bases. Greg Allen doubled over the head of the left fielder to cut the margin to one, 4-3, as Bautista and Loopstok both came home. The next batter, Chang, doubled to center field to drive in Castillo and Allen to push the Hillcats in front, 5-4.
Without any outs still, Anthony Santander walked, which set the stage for a deep home run to right-center field by Bobby Bradley. Bradley’s homer highlighted a 3-for-5 performance that included two doubles. He is currently tied for the most RBIs in all of Minor League Baseball with 22 through 20 games.
After Bradley’s homer, the Hillcats held an 8-4 advantage in the fifth inning, still without any outs. Taylor Murphy started another rally with a one-out single to extend his hitting streak to a team-best 12 games. Loopstok walked with two outs to keep the frame going for Castillo.
Castillo lined a ball over the right field wall for his first home run since September 1, 2014 when he was a member of the Lake County Captains. It marked his seventh career homer, and it gave Lynchburg an 11-4 lead in the fifth. By the time it was said and done, Lynchburg set season highs for a single inning with 14 batters, 10 runs and seven hits.
After a run in the fifth inning for Winston-Salem, Lynchburg answered one final time when Bradley doubled in the sixth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Murphy.
Sean Brady (2-1) had no trouble making 12 runs of support hold up Wednesday. The southpaw won his second consecutive start, minimizing most of Winston-Salem’s damage to its two home runs. He allowed five runs on nine hits in six innings of work, with four of the Dash’s runs coming on the deep flies. David Speer surrendered his first earned run as a Hillcat in two innings of relief, and Trevor Frank tossed a scoreless ninth to finish the game.
Former Hillcat Blair Walters (1-1) suffered the loss after giving up seven runs on six hits and four walks in four-plus innings.Manny Martinez allowed four runs in one inning of relief as he finally helped Winston-Salem escape the fifth.
Even before today’s outburst, Lynchburg already led the Carolina League in a number of offensive categories…Prior to the contest, through 19 games, the Hillcats were at the top of the Carolina League in runs scored (112), hits (181), total bases (279), doubles (42), home runs (18), RBIs (97), hit by pitches (16), walks (92), slugging percentage (.416) and on-base percentage (.416)…Defensively, Lynchburg leads the league in fielding percentage (.977), ERA (3.22), shutouts (5), strikeouts (176) and caught stealing percentage (32.1)…Lynchburg will be going for a sweep of the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark since it opened in 2009…The Hillcats are a perfect 9-0 on the road, outscoring opponents by a combined 75-36 in those games.
Lynchburg try to sweep the Dash and improve to 10-0 away from City Stadium Thursday night at 7 p.m. Justus Sheffield (2-0, 2.45) will start against Spencer Adams (2-0, 4.05) in a rematch of Opening Day. Fans can listen to the game on 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com, beginning with the Hillcats On-Deck Show at 6:45 p.m.
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