A ferocious comeback was for naught in a Hillcats 9-8 loss to the Potomac Nationals Wednesdaynight at City Stadium. The ‘Cats scored six runs in the fifth inning to tie the game and two in the sixth frame to get within one but the Nationals offense proved to be too much. Josh Elander drove in a season-high three runs in the loss.
The Nationals (18-12, 60-39) put up five runs over the first two innings. Cutter Dykstra and Billy Burns each had two-RBI hits and Caleb Ramsey singled home a run. The Nationals tacked on another run in the fifth inning when a wild pitch allowed Adrian Nieto to advance to third then Shawn McGill’s throw skipped into left field, allowing Nieto to score.
The Hillcats (10-19, 46-52) had been silenced through four innings, mustering just three hits. They delivered six hits in a six-run fifth inning to storm back and tie the game. McGill, Matt Lipka and Kyle Kubitza each drove in a run and Elander delivered two runs with a double. Kubitza bounced a single through the right side to score Elander and tie the game with two outs in the inning.
Potomac responded with three runs in the very next inning. Robert Fish (0-1) came on in relief and immediately walked then hit a batter before Michael Taylor plated a run with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, Fish was asked to intentionally walk the bases loaded. Zach Jadofsky, came in and allowed a ground ball single by Kevin Keyes that scored two runs. The Nationals led 9-6.
Greg Holt (5-0) entered the game with two outs in the fifth to record the final out got the win.
After a brief rain delay, Lynchburg got two runs back in the home half of the sixth. With two on and one out David Rohm and Elander hit back-to-back RBI-singles to get the Hillcats within one. Both runs came off Holt, who went 1.1 innings.
Pitching took over the rest of the way with the clubs trading scoreless frames through the final three innings and the Hillcats dropped to an even 13-13 in one-run games this season. Rob Wort pitched the final two innings, striking out the side in order in the ninth, for Potomac to get his fifth save of the season.
The Hillcats and Nationals continue their series Thursday with a 7:05pm start. Come celebrate “Christmas in July” with another Theme Thursday at City Stadium. Gates open at 6pm and Jarett Miller (7-6, 3.56) gets the nod for Lynchburg against Paul Demny (0-0, -.–) for Potomac. If you can’t get to the ballpark join Erik Wilson and Jake Levy starting with the Hillcats On-Deck Show, powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg, at 6:40pm on 97.9 FM The Planet and lynchburg-hillcats.com
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Chris Graham
