Lynchburg jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back as the Hillcats went on to win 7-4 to complete the series sweep over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Sunday afternoon at City Stadium. The Hillcats turned a season-high five double plays in the victory.
TRIO OF RUNS
Claudio Bautista reached on a walk to lead off the third inning and was driven home by Yhoxian Medina to give the Hillcats a 1-0 lead. Clint Frazier homered in the very next at-bat to pick up his 13th dinger of the year to put the Hillcats up 3-0.
AUDIO: Frazier two-run home run
ONCE WAS NOT ENOUGH
After surrendering a run in the top of the fourth to Wilmington on a RBI single by Jack Lopez that brought the Blue Rocks within two, 3-1, the Hillcats posted another three-run frame in the bottom of the fifth. Ivan Castillo was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and LeVon Washington reached on a walk to give the Hillcats runners at first and second with no outs. Yhoxian Medinastruck out swinging, but the ball escaped Santiago Nessy and allowed Castillo to score from second base to put the Hillcats up 4-1.
Clint Frazier reached on a walk to give the Hillcats runners at the corners, and Nellie Rodriguez roped a RBI double to right field that scored Washington to extend the lead to 5-1. With Frazier at third, Paul Hendrix hit a sacrifice fly to center to give Lynchburg a 6-1 lead.
ONE FOR GOOD MEASURE
In the bottom of the sixth, Claudio Bautista doubled to lead off the frame, and Ivan Castillo singled to give the Hillcats runners at the corners. LeVon Washington hit a sacrifice fly that scored Bautista from third to put the Hillcats up 7-1.
MOUNTING A COMEBACK
Mitch Brown (8-10) pitched seven innings for the Hillcats and allowed just one run and struck out six batters before Wilmington plated three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Ryan O’Hearn and Elier Hernandez recorded back-to-back base hits to lead off the frame and each scored on a throwing error by Ivan Castillo to bring the Blue Rocks within four, 7-3. Alfredo Escaleraadvanced to third base on the throw and scored on a sacrifice fly by Humberto Arteaga that cut the lead to three, but the Hillcats held on for the win to sweep the series. Brown allowed just two earned runs in the contest while earning his eighth win of the year.
KEEPING UP WITH THE CATS
Clint Frazier recorded his 13th home run of the season with a two-run blast in the bottom of the third inning…With the dinger,Frazier tied his longest hit streak of the season at 11 games…The Hillcats picked up their third series sweep in their last six tries…The win also marks the fifth straight win, tying a season high for the Hillcats…The loss for Wilmington marks their 14thstraight…The streak moves them into sole possession of the fifth longest losing streak in Carolina League history.
UP NEXT
Lynchburg will have an off-day Monday before opening up a six-game road trip that begins with a three-game series against the Frederick Keys on Tuesday night at 7 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 6:40 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.
– Source: Lynchburg Hillcats
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