Blake Brown and Tyler Tewell each had two-run homers, and Johan Camargo recorded three hits and three runs in his Advanced-A debut, but Frederick scored seven runs over their final three at-bats to defeat the Hillcats, 8-7, at Harry Grove Stadium Friday night.
After seeing a 4-1 lead turn into a 6-4 deficit, Lynchburg appeared to have achieved one of its trademark comeback victories by plating three runs to take a 7-6 lead in the top of the eighth. Kevin Ahrens led off the frame with a single, and Tewell hit a towering fly ball over the right field fence for his eighth home run of the season. It tied the score at 6-all and gave Tewell 44 RBIs for the year. Camargo reached with one out on a throwing error by Wynston Sawyer and came home two batters later on a Daniel Carroll single for the go-ahead run, 7-6.
However, Frederick responded in the bottom half when four straight batters reached with one out in the eighth. Sawyer singled, Brenden Webb walked, and Jerome Pena singled to right to load the bases. Johnny Ruettiger singled to left to plate Sawyer and level the contest, 7-7. Two batters later, a bases-loaded walk to Trey Mancini broke the tie and sent the Keys on their way to a victory.
Navery Moore (1-1) took the loss after allowing the first three men to reach in the frame. He was charged with two runs on two hits in one-third of an inning. Cody Fassold blew the save after entering with the bases loaded. Jesse Beal (2-1) earned the victory despite blowing a save of his own in the eighth after surrendering three runs on four hits in one frame. Lex Rutledge tossed a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.
Blake Brown started the scoring for the night with his first home with the Hillcats, driving in Camargo after the recent call-up singled in his first at-bat. In the fourth inning, Camargo singled again. The rated-prospect shortstop notched a base hit in each of his first three at-bats.
Carroll walked after the Camargo single in the fourth, and Hyams brought home Camargo with a base hit to right. Justin Bloxom hit a sacrifice fly to center field later in the frame to score Carroll and give Lynchburg a 4-1 advantage.
After the combination of a Pena triple and Ruettiger RBI single scored the first Keys run in the third inning, Frederick truly began its comeback effort in the sixth. Back-to-back walks to Ruettiger and Adrian Marin began the stanza. Trey Mancini crushed a ball over the center field fence to tie the game, 4-4.
In the seventh, Frederick took its first lead of the game when Sawyer reached on an error and Brenden Webb doubled him home for his 43rd RBI. After a groundout to the pitcher, Ruettiger singled to give the Keys a 6-4 lead. Ruettiger finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Lynchburg and Frederick face off again Saturday at 6pm. Jarett Miller (8-7, 3.82) will oppose Sebastian Vader (1-4, 6.00) on the mound. Fans can tune in to 97.9 The Planet for the HIllcats On-Deck Show presented by Amtrak Virginia at 5:40pm with Erik Wilson and Kyle West on the call.
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Chris Graham
