Luis Rico and Matthew Strahm combined to strike out 17 Hillcats batters, but Lynchburg still had a chance to tie the game in the ninth with the bases loaded and only one out. Fittingly, though, Strahm struck out the next two batters to preserve a 3-2 Wilmington victory as the Blue Rocks took the second game of the series at Frawley Stadium Thursday night.
SOUTHPAW SHOWCASE
Lefty Luis Rico (4-3) tied a career high with nine strikeouts in his start, which lasted 5 2/3 innings before he left after 87 pitches. Rico struck out multiple batters in four of his five full innings and only allowed three hits and two walks during his time on the mound. In two starts against the Hillcats, Rico has now struck out 15 hitters in 10 1/3 innings.
Fellow lefty Matthew Strahm came into the game and shut the door on the Hillcats, going the final 3 1/3 frames for his first save of the year. Strahm came one shy of a career high with eight punchouts, including back-to-back strikeouts to end both the seventh and ninth innings when the Hillcats had the tying run at third base in each frame. Strahm allowed a pair of runs in the seventh, but only one was earned. Dace Kime (2-4) suffered the loss despite a quality start. The University of Louisville product held Wilmington to three runs on seven hits in seven innings while striking out five.
BLUE ROCKS STRIKE QUICKLY
Wilmington plated a run in each of the first two innings thanks in part to a pair of sacrifices. In the first, Carlos Garcia singled and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Ramon Torres. Garcia then stole third base, and a catching error by Paul Hendrix on the throw allowed the ball to sneak into left field and Garcia to score on the play.
In the second, Robert Pehl opened the stanza with a double. He moved over to third on a groundout and was able to score on a sacrifice fly to center field by Logan Moon, giving Wilmington a 2-0 advantage after two innings.
HILLCATS BREAK THROUGH IN SEVENTH
After Cody Stubbs tripled and later scored on a base hit by Frank Schwindel in the sixth inning, the Hillcats trailed 3-0 entering the seventh. Claudio Bautista walked, and Ivan Castillo singled to put two runners on base. Luigi Rodriguez drove in Bautista for his 39th RBI of the year, and a fielding error by Logan Moon in center field allowed both Castillo and Rodriguez to advance to third and second, respectively. The base hit extended Rodriguez’sstreak to nine games in a row, which ties his longest hitting streak of the season.
A wild pitch allowed Castillo to come home and bring the Hillcats within one, 3-2, but Rodriguez was stranded at third base.
HILLCATS TRY TO STAGE COMEBACK
Lynchburg gave itself a chance in the ninth when Bautista walked, and Castillo reached on an error. Clint Frazier walked to load the bases with only one out. However, with the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second base, Strahm successfully struck out Bradley Zimmer and Nellie Rodriguez to end the contest.
KEEPING UP WITH THE ‘CATS
Luigi Rodriguez’s other nine game hitting streak occurred from April 15 to April 25…Luigi is 18-for-42 (.429) during his most recent streak with two doubles, two triples, two home runs and five RBIs.
UP NEXT
Lynchburg attempts to claim the series when it concludes its three-game set at Frawley Stadium Friday at 7:05 p.m. Michael Peoples (5-3, 5.57) starts for the Hillcats against lefty Eric Skoglund (6-3, 3.12). 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 6:40 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.
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