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Eric Haase walk-off homer leads Lynchburg Hillcats to win

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lynchburg hillcatsEric Haase crushed his sixth home run of the year over the left field wall to clinch a 3-2 walk-off win for Lynchburg in the 10th inning Saturday night at City Stadium. D.J. Brown posted career numbers in innings pitched and strikeouts, but earned a no-decision for his quality start.

 

DOWN, BUT NOT OUT

Lynchburg and Wilmington went scoreless through the first three innings before the Blue Rocks broke the stalemate in the top of the fourth. Cody Stubbs had a solo home run, his third of the year, to put the Blue Rocks up 1-0. Lynchburg responded in the fifth when Mike Papi doubled and was driven home by LeVon Washington to even the score.

AUDIO: Washington RBI single in fifth

 

Both starting pitchers turned in a quality start, but neither earned the win. Wilmington hurler Jakob Junis pitched seven complete innings and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out six. Wilmington regained the lead in the top of the seventh onStubbs’ second solo home run of the game to give the Blue Rocks a 2-1 edge. Junis left the game after the seventh inning following another RBI single by Washington that scored Paul Hendrix, who tripled earlier, knotting the game up at two.

AUDIO: Washington RBI single in seventh

 

GO D.J., THAT’S MY D.J.

D.J. Brown set career-high marks in a quality start but also failed to earn a win. Brown tossed a career-high eight innings and allowed just two runs to score, both solo home runs by Stubbs, while turning in a career-high seven punchouts. He earned a no-decision, but the Hillcats have now won seven of the last eight games that Brown has started.

 

WALK-OFF WIN

Clayton Cook, who had not pitched for the Hillcats since June 21, entered the game in the ninth and pitched two scoreless innings while recording four strikeouts to give Lynchburg a chance to win the game in the 10th. Eric Haase led off the inning for Lynchburg and rifled the very first pitch of the inning over the left field wall for his sixth home run and the first walk-off victory for the Hillcats this season. It was the first walk-off home run by a Hillcat since Kevin Ahrens hit one April 18, 2014, which coincidentally came in extra innings as well, as it gave Lynchburg a 7-6 victory in the 12th last year.

 

AUDIO: Haase walk-off home run

 

KEEPING UP WITH THE ‘CATS

Mike Papi went 2-for-4 at the plate to extend his hit streak to a team-high 13 games…Papi is just one game shy of tying the Carolina League season high of 14 games…LeVon Washington recorded a pair of RBIs in the game…He has recorded nine RBIs in just 10 games with Lynchburg this season…Lynchburg improved to 2-5 in extra innings this season…The Hillcats are now 9-13 in one-run games, which includes back-to-back one-run victories over Wilmington to open the series.

 

UP NEXT

Lynchburg will try for three in a row against the Wilmington Blue Rocks Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Fans will be able to bring their furry friend to City Stadium for the game as it will be Dog Friendly Day presented by Pedigree. Gates will open at 1 p.m.  Fans can tune in to the action on ESPN Virginia 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com beginning at 1:40 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.

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