Early burst dooms Lynchburg

Lynchburg puts up one in opening frame, but four runs for the Blue Rocks in the bottom of the first proved to be too much for the HIllcats Friday. The ‘Cats managed three runs on seven hits but fell for just the third time in eight games in Wilmington this season. The Blue Rocks added five more after the first for a final of 9-3 at Frawley Stadium.

The Hillcats jumped out of the gate with a run in the first inning. Joey Terdoslavich hit just his second triple of the season, plating Phil Gosselin in the process. Lynchburg led 1-0, but not for long.

Wilmington roared back with four runs in the bottom of the first frame. Starter Matt Crim surrendered three hits, all for extra bases. Whit Merrifield led off the inning with a triple. Crim hit the next batter, before a double tied the game at 1-1 and put runners at second and third. A sacrifice fly and a ground out to short scored two more. Finally, Yem Prades capped the inning with a solo home run to left. The Blue Rocks led 4-1.

Crim allowed two more runs on two hits, a walk, and an error in the fourth inning. The error came from shortstop Andrelton Simmons making an awkward flip to second base with the bases loaded and two outs. Gosselin couldn’t handle the flip, and two runs scored on the play, one ruled unearned.

Wilmington went on to score one run in the each the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings as well bringing their final total to nine.

The Hillcats’ offense plated two more runs in the sixth inning. Gosselin single and eventually scored on a wild pitch, while Joe Leonard coming in from third on a grounder to the pitcher scored after Jose Bonilla dropped the toss from the pitcher Tyler Sample.

Sample (7-10) would get the win finishing six innings, allowing three runs, two earned on seven hits and two walks. Crim (1-7) suffered the loss. He gave up six runs, five earned, in four innings. Jon Beck went the final three innings scoreless for the Blue Rocks and earned his second save of the season.

The Hillcats are now 20-27 in the second half, falling five games back of the Potomac Nationals for the last playoff spot in the Northern Division. Even with the loss the HIllcats have won seven of their last 10.

The series continues tomorrow with game three at 6:05 pm. LHP Chris Masters (7-5) will start for Lynchburg against RHP Justin Marks (7-8) for Wilmington. Listen live to the action starting with the Hillcats On-Deck Show powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg on 105.5 KD Country and online at lynchburg-hillcats.com