The Lynchburg Hillcats season-long eight-game winning streak came to an end Thursday night with an 8-2 loss to the Carolina Mudcats at Five County Stadium. The Hillcats failed to get a runner into scoring position until the ninth inning. Matt Weaver had two of the Hillcats knocks and David Rohm, who also had a pair of hits, extended his hitting streak to nine games. Ryan Hinson got the start for Lynchburg and for the first time this season he failed to reach the six-inning mark.
The Hillcats (29-29, 65-62) gave up an early lead for the third straight game when the Mudcats (30-29, 52-77) got the scoring started with a run in the second inning. Bryson Myles singled and stole second to lead off the inning and, after Hinson got two outs, Ryan Battaglia doubled him home. Two walks loaded the bases for Carolina but Hinson was able to punch out Jordan Smith to end the inning.
That score held until the fifth when the Mudcats tacked on three more tallies. Carolina batted around, getting RBI knocks by Joey Wendle and Paddy Matera plus a bases loaded walk in the frame. The Mudcats led 4-0 after five.
All four runs were charged to Hinson (3-3). He left with the bases loaded in the fifth before a walk by Wilson Rivera plated the season-high fourth run charged to Hinson’s line. He went 4.2 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out four.
Joseph Colon (4-3) was stellar meanwhile in his start for the Mudcats. He pitched seven shutout innings allowing just four hits and striking out five. Colon faced just three over the minimum and the Hillcats never got a runner into scoring position against him.
The Mudcats tacked on three more runs, all with two outs, in the sixth. Wendle picked up another RBI hit in the inning and Myles plated one as well. Todd Hankins drove in a run with a double in the seventh to round out the scoring.
The Hillcats look to bounce back and earn the series victory in the finale on Friday. First pitch is set for 7:15pm with Jose Lugo (0-0, 2.25) making his second start for Lynchburg against Nick Pasquale (5-7, 4.25) for the Mudcats. Erik Wilson and Jake Levy have the call from Zebulon, N.C. startng with the Hillcat On-Deck Show, powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg, at 6:50pm on 97.9 FM The Planet and lynchburg-hillcats.com
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Chris Graham
