Graham stays unbeaten for ‘Cats RHP J.R. Graham stayed unbeaten Monday afternoon winning his sixth game of the season. The Hillcats scored early and cruised behind the sixth quality start for starter Graham on the season to their third win in a row. Edward Salcedo led the Lynchburg offense with a home run and two RBI.
The Hillcats scored early this afternoon. Nick Ahmed doubled in the first. Two batters later, Adam Milligan singled him home to put Lynchburg up 1-0. The ‘Cats kept the runs coming in the second and third frames. Matt Lipka singled in Chris Garcia and David Rohm with two outs in the second. In the third inning it was Edward Salcedo doing the damage. He hit his sixth home run of the season deep over the left field wall.
Lynchburg led 5-0 after just two and a half innings.
Salem’s starter Ryan Pressly ended up getting through five innings surrendering five runs on nine hits. It was Pressly’s third start against the Hillcats. He has now allowed at least five runs in all three starts.
RHP J.R. Graham started for Lynchburg. He held the Red Sox scoreless through the first six innings. In the seventh, Graham walked the first batter, and then gave up a single the Ryan Kalish. A sacrifice fly and and an RBI groundout plated two runs off Graham and he left the game. RHP Andrew Wilson entered the game and got the final out of the seventh.
Wilson pitched a scoreles eighth inning as well. Then, RHP Juan Jaime came in for the ninth. He allowed one run on one hit and a hit batter but completed his ninth save of the season in nine tries.
Graham (6-0) earned the win allowing just two runs on three hits in six and two-thirds innings.
The Hillcats are now 28-20. They have won three in a row and remain in first place in the Northern Division.
Game two against the Red Sox is set for tomorrow night in Salem at 7:05pm. RHP Aaron Northcraft (4-3, 3.86) will start for the Hillcats against the RHP Matt Barnes (2-1, 1.13) for the Red Sox. The Hillcats On-Deck Show will go on the air at 6:40pm. Listen live to all the action on 105.5 KD Country and online at lynchburg-hillcats.com.
Pelicans edge P-Nats The Myrtle Beach Pelicans defeated the Potomac Nationals 3-2 in front of a crowd 4,214 on Memorial Day at Pfitzner Stadium. Cody Buckel tossed six innings for the Pelicans striking out nine earning the victory.
Myrtle Beach started the scoring in the second off of Potomac starter Robbie Ray. Vinny DiFazio doubled then scored on a two-out single by Jake Skole to give the Pelicans a 1-0 lead.
The Pelicans scored again in the fourth. Tomas Telis led off reaching on a throwing error by Zach Walters. Christian Villanueva singled in Telis on a line drive to left and the Pelicans led 2-0.
Again Myrtle got on the board thanks to defensive miscues by the P-Nats. In the top of the seventh, DiFazio hit a double to right that Randolph Oduber lost in the sky. DiFazio then scored on a wild pitch extending the Pelican lead to 3-0. The day ended in the seventh for Ray who gave up three runs with just two earned and struck out two. It was the first time into the seventh for Ray in his professional career.
The Pelicans starter Cody Buckel had no problems with the Nationals. He tossed six innings striking out nine and yielding just three hits while walking one. Buckel struck out nine over six scoreless for the second time against the P-Nats in three starters.
Potomac did finally score in the eighth off of Myrtle Beach reliever Ben Henry. Justin Bloxom led off the inning with a single. Then Adrian Sanchez hit a triple off the right field wall scoring Bloxom to bring the P-Nats within 3-1. But with no out, Randolph Oduber struck out. The next batter Blake Kelso hit into a 1-5 double play lining a ball back to the pitcher Henry who threw out Sanchez who was caught off of third base.
The Nationals last chance was in the ninth inning against Jimmy Reyes of Myrtle Beach. JP Ramirez led off the inning with a double. He would score on a one-out infield single by David Freitas to bring Potomac within 3-2 of Myrtle Beach. Freitas was pinch ran for by Francisco Soriano. With Zach Walters batting, Soriano was caught stealing 1-3-6 on a pick off move by Reyes for the second out of the inning. Walters struck out to end the contest and Reyes earned his second save of the season.
Buckel (4-2) lowered his ERA to a Carolina League-leading 1.19. Ray (1-2) tossed a quality start but took his first home loss of the season.
Washington 1B/OF Michael Morse comes to the Pfitz tomorrow to start a rehab assignment with Potomac. The Nationals face off with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans for a 7:05 PM start. For tickets, please call us at 703-590-2311 or visit www.potomacnationals.com.
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