The Lynchburg Hillcats used an eight-run sixth inning to blow out the Frederick Keys on Wednesday night, winning 12-3.
The Hillcats (25-23) now stand in second place alone ahead of Frederick (24-24) in the Carolina League North Division.
Tied 2-2 entering the sixth, Lynchburg sent 12 hitters to the plate to bust the game open. Nolan Jones walked and Oscar Gonzalez singled to put two on with nobody out. With one away, Wilbis Santiago doubled to score Jones for a 3-2 Lynchburg lead. Jose Vicente stepped in and singled home Gonzalez to put the Hillcats in front 4-2. The next hitter, Mike Rivera, plated Santiago with an RBI double down the left field line. Later in the inning, Vicente scored on a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 6-2. Still batting with Rivera at third, Steven Kwan reached on a fielder’s choice and Jodd Carter walked to load the bases. That brought up Jones for the second time in the inning, who blasted a grand slam, his fourth homer of the year, over the left field wall to blow the game open at 10-2, capping the eight-run frame.
Lynchburg opened the scoring in the first inning on a two-run home run from Carter, his team-leading sixth of the season.
In the fourth, Frederick got a run back on a solo homer from Zach Jarrett, his third of the year.
The Keys tied the game at two in the fifth inning. Cole Billingsley doubled and moved to third base on a wild pitch. Later in the frame, Jomar Reyes scored Billingsley on an RBI ground out.
Jarrett scored Frederick’s final run in the sixth inning when Matt Solter (Win, 4-0) uncorked a wild pitch.
In the ninth inning, Lynchburg added the exclamation point when Vicente belted a two-run shot, his third of the season, to widen the gap to 12-3.
Kwan, Gonzalez, Santiago and Vicente each had multi-hit games for Lynchburg. Jones reached base four times, walking three times to go with his grand slam.
Solter allowed three earned runs on five hits in 5.2 innings. Jonathan Teaney worked 2.1 scoreless frames and Yapson Gomez fired a scoreless ninth inning.
Cameron Bishop (Loss, 0-3) surrendered four earned runs on four hits over 5.1 innings. Cameron Ming allowed six earned runs on five hits with two walks in just 0.1 innings in the eight-run sixth. Matthias Dietz fired 2.1 scoreless and Luis Perez allowed the homer to Vicente in the ninth.
The Hillcats and Keys will play a double-header on Thursday at Nymeo Field, to make up for a postponement between the two clubs on May 5. Game One will feature Frederick’s lefty DL Hall (1-2, 4.50) against Lynchburg right-hander Justin Garza (3-3, 4.97). In Game Two, southpaw Anderson Polanco (0-1, 3.38) will toe the slab for the Hillcats against Keys righty David Lebron (2-0, 3.21). First pitch for Game One is set for 5 p.m. There will be approximately 30 minutes between games and both contests will be seven innings in length.
The Hillcats will return to City Stadium on Sunday, June 2, where they will start a three-game series with the Down East Wood Ducks, A-Adv. affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Sunday will be a Sandlot Sunday where all kids in attendance will be able to run the bases following the conclusion of the game. Other home stand highlights include Kids Eat Free Tuesday, where all kids will receive a meal voucher to the concession stand upon entering City Stadium.
For tickets or more information, visit lynchburg-hillcats.com, call 434-528-1144, or visit the City Stadium box office.
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Chris Graham
