In a pitchers duel, sometimes it comes down to a couple of hits in the game. For the Hillcats, the couple of hits came in the seventh inning, as Barrett Kleinknecht and Geraldo Rodriguez hit back-to-back home runs to lead Lynchburg to a 3-2 win over the Kinston Indians Sunday night.
The Hillcats took the lead in the bottom of the second. Barrett Kleinknecht led off the inning with a double. Two batters later, Marcus Lemon laced a double down the left field line, scoring Kleinknecht and giving the Hillcats an early 1-0 lead.
The Indians only managed two hits against against Hillcats starter Gary Moran, but made them count, with both coming in the top of the third. Delvi Cid started it off with a bouncer to the hole between short and third. Andrelton Simmons was able to field it deep in the hole, but had no play to first, so Cid reached with an infield single. He stole second, and Tyler Holt dropped a bunt down the third base line. He just beat the throw to first from Joe Leonard, and with two infield hits, runners were at the corners with no outs. Jordan Casas grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, but Cid scored to tie the game at one.
Jeremy Haynes entered the game in the seventh inning and ran into some trouble, he gave up a hit and walked two batters before a sacrifice fly before Doug Pickens hit a sacrifice fly to center to break the tie and put Kinston ahead 2-1. Haynes (2-1) was able to get out of the inning without any more damage.
Kinston went to the bullpen as well in the seventh inning. After Francisco Jimenez allowed just four hits, he left and Kyle Landis (8-2) entered the game. The leadoff batter, Kleinknecht, hit a shot to left that cleared the wall for his second home run in as many nights. Right after him, Geraldo Rodriguez hit a line drive that just hooked inside the foul pole for back-to-back home runs and gave the Hillcats the 3-2 lead.
Andrew Wilson worked a perfect eighth in his return to Lynchburg and Eliecer Cardenas pitched a perfect ninth to earn his seventh save of the year.
The Hillcats improved to 28-33. The Indians fell to 32-29.
Lynchburg continues their season-ending homestand on Tuesday as the Potomac Nationals come into town for a four-game series. Chris Masters (9-5) will take the mound for the Hillcats and face Evan Bronson (5-4) for the Nationals. First pitch is at 7:05 pm and gates will open at 6.
The Hillcats On-Deck Show presented by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg will go on the air at 6:40 pm. Tune in to 105.5 KD Country or go to lynchburg-hillcats.com to listen live to all the action.
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