In a game that featured four ties and five lead changes, a Hillcats error in extra innings proved to be the difference, as the Mudcats won, 6-5, in 10 innings on Sunday.
Lynchburg (46-52, 17-14) falls to just 1-7 in extra-inning contests, and now have lost extra-inning affairs two of the last three nights, as Carolina (50-49, 16-13) evens the series, forcing a rubber game Monday.
Ryan Aguilar began the tenth inning at second base, and Pat McInerney laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Dalbert Siri (Loss, 1-5) threw the ball down the right field line to plate a run and give the Mudcats their first lead of the ballgame. Two batters later, Joantgel Segovia singled to left to put Carolina ahead, 6-4.
Emmanuel Tapia singled home a run for the Hillcats in the home half of the tenth, but Luke Barker (Save, 15) was able to get a pair of groundouts to preserve the win and strand the tying run at third base.
Lynchburg took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Trenton Brooks led off with a double to left-center to extend his hitting streak to 12 straight games. Later in the inning, Dillon Persinger bounced a ball deep in the hole at shortstop which went for an RBI infield single.
After the game started 48 minutes behind schedule due to rain, the game went into another rain delay in the bottom of the third which lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes.
The game went back and forth in the middle innings. In the fourth, the Mudcats plated a run in the top half of the inning on an Aguilar RBI single. The Hillcats got the lead right back in the bottom half of the frame when Ernie Clement singled to right-center. The shortstop had a three-hit ballgame, his 11th multi-hit game in 28 games overall.
The fifth inning featured more of the same. Carolina walked in a run on a free pass to Cooper Hummel, but Ben Krauth picked up a strikeout to avoid further damage. The Hillcats then went back ahead on a Li-Jen Chu RBI double in the home half of the frame to make it 3-2. Chu reached base four times in the ballgame, walking three times.
The trend continued in the sixth. Dallas Carrol tied the game at 3-3 in the top half of the inning with a single to left-center, before the Hillcats regained the lead during with a Mitch Longo RBI single to center to make it 4-3 Lynchburg.
The Mudcats evened the ballgame for the final time in the seventh inning on an Aguilar single through the right side to plate Hummel.
Daniel Brown (Win, 5-3) then held the Hillcats at bay late, striking out seven, including six in a row, over three innings of work. He walked the bases loaded but escaped without allowing a run in the seventh, before striking out the side in the eighth and ninth.
Neither starter went deep into the ballgame. Anderson Polanco tossed three scoreless innings for the Hillcats, walking two and allowing a hit, while picking up a strikeout.
Devin Willimas lasted just 2.1 innings for Carolina allowed a run on three hits, walked one and struck out two.
The rubber game of the series is set for Monday at 6:30 p.m. with lefty Tanner Tully (3-9, 4.76) getting the start for Lynchburg, opposed by right-hander Braden Webb (5-7, 4.17) for Carolina.
Max Gun and Matt Present will be on the air beginning at 6:20 p.m. on TuneIn Radio and Radio434.
For tickets and more information visit lynchburg-hillcats.com, the City Stadium box office, or call 434-528-1144.
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