Lynchburg tied a team record for the Hilcats era with five home runs in a 10-4 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Wednesdaynight at City Stadium. Nellie Rodriguez cranked out a pair long balls in his first two at-bats to lead the Hillcats to a victory and increase his league-leading total to 15 for the season.
GET OUTTA HERE BALL
Luigi Rodriguez singled to lead off the game for the Hillcats and he did not have to wait long to touch home. Nellie Rodriguezpounded his Carolina League-best 14th home run of the year to give the Hillcats a 2-0 lead in the first frame.
AUDIO: Nellie Rodriguez two-run home run
More runs came in the second inning as Claudio Bautista doubled to lead off the frame and was immediately driven home on a RBI triple by Ivan Castillo to put Lynchburg up three. The triple by Castillo marked his third in his last two games and gave him a league-leading 10 three-baggers for the year.
Paul Hendrix drove in Castillo with a RBI single to extend the lead to 4-0 in favor of the Hillcats.
CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
Myrtle Beach sliced the Hillcats’ lead in half in the top of the second inning on RBIs by Pin-Chieh Chen and Victor Caratini to bring the Pelicans within two, 4-2. However, in the bottom of the frame, Nellie Rodriguez led off with a blast to left, his second of the game, which made it 5-2 Hillcats. Rodriguez now leads the Carolina League with 15 home runs, four more than Luigi Rodriguez and Clint Frazier who rank second among active players with 11 each.
AUDIO: Nellie Rodriguez solo home run
Clint Frazier entered the game riding a 10-game hit streak and a 28 game on-base streak. The Hillcats’ centerfielder extended both streaks with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to expand the lead to 8-2. The home run broughtFrazier’s total to 11, tying him with Luigi Rodriguez for second in the Carolina League among current players.
AUDIO: Frazier three-run home run
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS
Myrtle Beach plated a run in both the top of the fifth and seventh innings on separate RBI singles by Caratini to make the score 8-4, but the Hillcats weren’t done punishing Pelicans hurlers. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Dorssys Paulino roped his first home run as a Hillcat over the left-center field wall, and Sicnarf Loopstok pounded the very first pitch he saw right at the scoreboard for back-to-back home runs and a 10-4 lead.
D.J. Brown picked up his eighth win of the season to take sole possession of second place in the Carolina League in wins behind Matt Heidenreich of Winston-Salem who leads the league with 11. Brown pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits to earn the victory, his fourth in his last five starts.
KEEPING UP WITH THE ‘CATS
Clint Frazier recorded his sixth multi-hit game in his last seven contests…With a 2-for-5 night at the plate, Frazier extended his consecutive on-base streak to 29 games and his hit streak to 11 games, both his longest streaks of the year…Ivan Castillotripled in the second inning to record his third three-bagger in his last two games…Castillo leads the Carolina League in triples with 10 this season…With five home runs in the game, the Hillcats tied the record for most home runs in a single game…The last time the Hillcats tallied five home runs in a game was May 28, 2013 against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans…The Hillcats won that game 8-1.
UP NEXT
Lynchburg will try to win its third straight as it takes on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. It will be “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” Night at the ballpark and fans can receive $5 admission if they present their passports at the ticket window. Gates will open for the game at 5:30 p.m. Fans can tune in to the action on ESPN Virginia 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com beginning at 6:10 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.
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Chris Graham
