De La Rosa goes deep, but FredNats fall in opener at Lynchburg

The Fredericksburg Nationals fell in the quickest game of the season 4-2 to the Lynchburg Hillcats Wednesday at Bank of the James Stadium. Jeremy De La Rosa went deep for the second consecutive game.

De La Rosa’s blast, his fifth of the season, made it 1-0 FredNats (14-8) in the first. Hillcats starter Rodney Boone allowed the homer but would not allow an earned run the rest of the way. He received a no-decision.

Bryan Caceres also received a no-decision. He twirled six innings of brilliant baseball, allowing two runs (two earned) while scattering seven hits. He struck out three without issuing a walk. The two staffs combined to allow just one walk (by Lynchburg relief man Elvis Jerez to Brandon Boissiere in the ninth).

Geraldi Diaz picked up an RBI to tie the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly. Sammy Infante scored on the sequence. He finished with a double and two hits.

Davis Sharpe (1-1) earned the win for the Hillcats (12-10) after two innings of scoreless relief. Jerez earned his third save with a scoreless ninth. Andrew Alvarez (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (two earned) in the eighth. The game took just one hour and 52 minutes.

The FredNats will look to win a doubleheader tomorrow. The action starts at 4 pm. RHP Jackson Rutledge (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his first start of the year on the mound in Game 1. RHP Rodney Theophile (2-0, 0.86 ERA) is expected to start Game 2.