The ‘Cats, the Low-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, struck in the top of the first inning, as Angel Zarate and Angel Genao each singled to put runners on the corners. Robert Lopez tapped into a double play behind them, with Zarate scoring to take the early 1-0 edge.
Then in the top of the third, a double, walk, and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out for Lopez. After taking ball one, he lashed a double all the way to the wall in left-center field to clear the bases and make it a 4-0 lead.
Daylen Lile launched a rally for the FredNats, the Low-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in the bottom of the fourth with a triple, then Sammy Infante promptly drove him in with an RBI single back up the middle. Branden Boissiere followed with a first pitch RBI double, to plate Infante and cut the deficit to 4-2.
Later, Max Romero Jr. snuck a ground ball through the right side of the infield to bring Boss across to make it just a 4-3 lead for Lynchburg.
However, the Hillcats responded in their half of the fifth inning. Genao picked up another single, and Zac Fascia singled as well to put two men on with two outs. Jose Devers delivered for Lynchburg with a single into right field, then Juan Benjamin added another run to make it 6-3 after five.
Zarate tacked on another run for the Hillcats in the top of the sixth, but the Freddies matched in the bottom half when Romero blasted a double down the right field line to pull the Nats within three runs.
After a brief lightning delay in the top of the seventh, Lynchburg shut down the Fredericksburg lineup until the bottom of the ninth.
A pair of walks brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out, but Fredericksburg could not scratch across a run.
In the middle game of the set tomorrow, Erik Tolman takes the ball for the Nats, against Austin Peterson.
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Chris Graham
