Heavy rain prior to the first pitch caused a 31-minute delay for a game that ended up being called after eight innings with a final score 4-2 in favor of the Carolina Mudcats over the Lynchburg Hillcats. The Hillcats totaled nine hits on the night but only pushed two runs across before getting their final at-bats scratched due to weather. They have now lost five of six on their current seven-game road trip.
Carolina scored in the bottom of the first for the second straight night against the Hillcats. After RHP Aaron Northcraft retired the first two batters, Giovanny Urshela doubled. Jesus Aguilar was then hit by a pitch before Carlos Moncrief singled home Urshela to give the Mudcats a 1-0 lead.
A pair of Hillcat singles in the top of the second evened the game at 1-1. Edward Salcedo notched the first single with one out. He then stole second with Braeden Schlehuber at the plate. Schlehuber grounded out softly to shortstop moving Salcedo to third base. Then, David Rohm’s single to center field brought Salcedo home.
The Mudcats regained the lead in the third inning. Bo Greenwell singled to lead off the inning. Urshela then flew out to left field, and Aguilar grounded out softly third base allowing Greenwell to get to second base. Moncrief drove in another run with a single, plating Greenwell. He then stole second base, his 15th swipe of the season. Anthony Gallas’ double two pitches later score Moncrief to make it 3-1 Mudcats.
The home team kept the pressure coming with another run in the fourth. Again, the Mudcats struck with two outs. Northcraft retired the first two batters, but then surrendered three straight hits. Carolina took a 4-1 lead.
Newly acquired Hillcat Dan Brewer helped Lynchburg chip away in the sixth inning. Brewer came over in a trade with the New York Yankees organization and made his Hillcat debut tonight. His first hit for Lynchburg was a one-out double. Adam Milligan promptly singled Brewer home to cut the Carolina lead to two.
Neither team would score again, and it would remain 4-2 through eight innings. Rain started to fall in sheets after the final out of the eighth inning. The Mudcats still took the field for the ninth but before a pitch could be thrown the game was sent into a delay. Once the tarp was on the field, both teams waited through a 34-minute delay before the game was officially called.
LHP Mike Rayl (6-7) earned the win allowing just two earned runs over six innings. Northcraft (8-7) surrendered four earned on nine hits and took the loss. He also struck out four, adding to his league-leading total of 114.
The Hillcats are now 14-15 in the second half and have fallen to second place, one game behind the Potomac Nationals.
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