Lynchburg scored two runs on six hits in the first two innings and held a 3-0 lead heading into the seventh, but Potomac scored six times in the home half of that inning to surge in front for a 6-3 win at Pfitzner Stadium Wednesday.
Lynchburg saw six of its first 10 batters log hits to begin the game, but the Hillcats only had four baserunners for the rest of the game. All six of the initial hits were singles. With one out in the second, four straight hits produced two runs. Taylor Murphy began the sequence with a single to center, and Sicnarf Loopstok followed suit. Connor Marabell and Mark Mathias drove them in with back-to-back safeties. The score remained 2-0 until the sixth when Yu-Cheng Chang drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a two-out base hit by Loopstok.
Lynchburg led 3-0 after six innings not only because of the offense but also due to the tremendous outing by Luis Lugo. The southpaw only surrendered three hits over six innings, keeping Potomac off the board while striking out five. It marked his eighth quality start of the season, which ranks second on the team to only Sean Brady.
Down by three in the seventh, Potomac scored six runs on the combination of four hits and two errors. Max Schrock and Raudy Read both singled, and Drew Vettleson walked to load the bases. Matthew Page reached base on a fielding error by Bobby Bradley, allowing the first run to come home. Two batters later, Austin Davidson hit a groundball under the mitt of Bradley for the second miscue of the frame, giving Potomac two more runs to tie the game, 3-3.
After a Dale Carey walk, Alec Keller plated a run with a single to left to give Potomac the lead. Osvaldo Abreu singled to center to drive in two more, and the Nationals led 6-3 for the remainder of the contest.
Jordan Milbrath (3-4) took the loss despite only allowing one earned run in 1/3 of an inning. He was charged with four unearned runs. Dakota Bacus (3-2) earned the victory after lasting seven innings and retiring 10 of 11 batters at one point. Ryan Brinleyregistered his 14th save of the season in 15 chances with a scoreless ninth.
Sicnarf Loopstok went 3-4 to mark his fourth career three-hit game…Mark Mathias finished 2-5 for his 29th multi-hit game of the season…Lynchburg outhit Potomac 9-7, falling to 51-13 when outhitting the opponent…The Hillcats are 10-8 against the Nationals this season but 3-6 since the All-Star Break.
Lynchburg plays Potomac for a rubber match Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Brock Hartson (0-1, 9.64) will start for the Hillcats. Fans can listen to the action on 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com, beginning with the Hillcats On-Deck Show at 6:45 p.m.
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