Tonight was the second time this week that the ‘Cats went to extra innings. This time the B-Rocks came out on top with a 6-5 victory in 10 innings. Four homers by Wilmington powered the offense to victory despite a four-run fourth inning by Lynchburg’s offense.
Gus Schlosser was trying to earn his ninth win of the season against the Blue Rocks tonight, a win would put him in sole possession of first place in wins in the Carolina League. However, he faced a recently slugging Wilmington line up and former second round pick, Brooks Pounders, on the mound.
The B-Rocks got off to a quick start with Lane Adams’ third bomb of the season to give Wilmington a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Wilmington wasted no time and added another run in the top of the second. It was a wacky play after Orlando Calixte singled to get on. Next was Jose Bonilla at the plate, and he singled. Bonilla proceeded to single to shallow right-center field, Calixte was going to take third, but David Rohm overran the ball and Calixte was on his way home with no chance of a throw. Jones retrieved the ball and decided to throw it in to Tommy La Stella at second because Bonilla was trying to advance. Calixte scored as La Stella received the ball and began to chase down Bonilla, a pickle ensued and Bonilla was eventually caught. It went down as an 8-4-3-4-3 on a scorecard. After two innings it was 2-0.
Lynchburg took their turn with another offensive outburst in a frame. It began with three straight hits from La Stella, Adam Milligan and Edward Salcedo. The latter of which was a double that scored La Stella and got Milligan to third to make it 2-1. With Chris Garcia at the plate, Pounders let a fastball loose that went to the backstop, Milligan scored and Salcedo moved to third. The score was now tied 2-2, but not for long, Garcia hit a line drive to left to score Salcedo and give the ‘Cats the 3-2 lead. The offense wasn’t done though, Braeden Schlehuber hit a line-drive double off the top of the left field wall, Garcia scored and it was 4-2 in favor of Lynchburg.
Down 4-2 in the top of the sixth, it would be the long ball that added a run yet again for the Blue Rocks. This time it was Matt Fields hitting a dinger, his fifth of the season, to cut the lead to 4-3.
Lynchburg was able to answer back in the bottom of the sixth when Nick Ahmed doubled home Schlehuber to get a run back and make it 5-3.
Again, it was solo blast that Wilmington relied on to cut the lead to 5-4. It was Orlando Calixte’s turn to slug one, but this bomb was off new pitcher, Chasen Shreve.
Shreve’s struggles on the mound continued on the top of the eight. A walk to Adams and it was Brett Eibner’s double, his 34th extra-base hit of the season, scored Adams to tie it at 5-5.
It was a pair of quiet offenses until the top of the 10th when another homer, this time off Matt Chaffee, broke the tie. Adams’ second bomb of the day gave the Blue Rocks the 6-5 lead and that’s where it would stay.
Sam Runion improves his record to 3-1 with two innings of scoreless work in which he allowed one hit. Chaffee (3-1) got the loss. He went one and two-thirds innings, gave up two hits, but one would lead to the only run he allowed and would be the difference in the game.
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