Lynchburg scored five runs in the eighth inning against Wilmington but dropped the series finale at Calvin Falwell Field, 6-5. The Hillcats’ first seven batters of the eighth reached base, including four straight hits to open the frame. Four potential game-tying or go-ahead runners were stranded in the final two innings.
Wilmington starting pitcher Matt Tenuta limited the Hillcats to only two hits through six innings. The lefty struck out nine batters and only allowed two walks. He shut out Lynchburg and recorded his fourth win. Fellow southpaw Sean Brady pitched six innings and limited the Blue Rocks to one earned run, though he surrendered five in total. The lone earned run occurred after aBrandon Downes double and a single by Luis Villegas. Four unearned scored in the third after an error by Yu-Cheng Chang.
Cameron Hill came out of the bullpen and tossed an inning while allowing an earned run and striking out three. David Speerand Trevor Frank threw perfect eighth and ninth innings respectively to keep the Hillcats in the game.
The Hillcats were shutout through seven innings but began to mount a comeback in the eighth. Paul Hendrix led the inning off with a double, which was proceeded by two singles from Nathan Lukes and Mark Mathias. Mathias’ single drove in Hendrix to make the score 6-1. Anthony Santander doubled to bring in a run. Three consecutive walks brought the Hillcats to within one, 6-5, but the bases were left loaded.
Mathias led the ninth inning off with a walk to put the possible tying run on base. Santander put a charge into the ball, but it was caught on the warning track in straightaway center. An intentional walk to Chang put runners on first and second for Taylor Murphy. Murphy flied out to medium right field to end the game.
Lynchburg is 12-14 in one-run games after dropping tonight’s contest to Wilmington… In series finales, the Hillcats fell to 16-13 this season…Sean Brady took his first loss against the Blue Rocks in his fifth start…It marked his first loss overall since May 21against Myrtle Beach…He was 8-0 in his previous nine starts entering the game.
Lynchburg will hit the road and head to Winston-Salem for a series opener at 7 p.m. The Hillcats will face Zach Thompson (1-1, 8.40). Fans can listen to the action on 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com, beginning with the Hillcats On-Deck Show at 6:45 p.m.
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