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Late rally lifts Lynchburg Hillcats

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lynchburg hillcatsThe Hillcats and Wilmington Blue Rocks were scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning tonight. Wilmington took a 3-0 lead before the Hillcats came back to win 5-3 scoring three in the eighth and two more in the ninth. David Rohm’s bases loaded triple tied the game in the eighth, and Matt Weaver singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth. Lynchburg avoided a three-game sweep in Wilmington with the win and finished their road trip 3-3.

Jarett Miller was electric through six inning tonight for the Hillcats (18-26, 54-59). He faced the minimum through the first four frames, giving up a single and hitting a batter. He then struck out the side in the fifth stranding a runner who reached on an error. He gave up another single in the sixth, but faced the minimum once again as the runner was caught stealing second.

John Lamb was matching Miller every step of the way for the Blue Rocks (20-27, 53-64). A single combined with an errant throw from the left fielder Yem Prades allowed Emerson Landoni to reach second in the first inning. He went stranded there. The Hillcats didn’t put another runner into scoring position until the seventh inning when they stranded runners at first and third. Lamb threw seven scoreless innings tonight for the third time this season, and second time against the Hillcats. He would end up taking a no-decision.

The Blue Rocks broke the scoreless tie in the seventh inning as Miller started to lose his control. He had thrown first pitch strikes to 14 of his first 19 batters through six scoreless innings. IN the seventh, he hit the first batter, gave up a bunt single, and then walked the clean-up hitter Dennis Raben on four pitches to load the bases. Jerad Schlehuber then ground into a 6-2 fielder’s choice cutting down the lead runner at the plate. The next play went to the shortstop again. Elmer Reyes bobbled the slow chopper and then hurried a toss to second base wildly that ended up in right center field. Two runs scored on the play. Micah Gibbs then singled home Schlehuber to put the Blue Rocks up 3-0. One run went unearned against Miller due to the error. He left the game after the single with runners at first and second and one out. John Cornely came on in relief and on one pitch induced a 5-3 double play to third baseman Kyle Kubitza.

Cody Fassold relieved Lamb in the eighth inning for Wilmington. He struck out his first batter and induced a pop-up to first base, getting two outs on five pitches to start the inning. He then walked Matt Lipka on four pitches and gave up a single to Landoni. Kubitza drew a four-pitch walk as well loading the bases for Rohm. After falling behind 0-2, Rohm watched two straight sliders hit the dirt before sending a 2-2 fastball into the right field corner. The bases cleared, Rohm ended up at third and the game was tied.

The ninth inning saw Reyes single to lead off. Trent Moses sacrificed him to second. Weaver then delivered his only hit of the night to plate Reyes and put the ‘Cats on top. The throw to the plate allowed Weaver to reach second base. He eventually came around to score and the ‘Cats led 5-3 going to the bottom of the ninth.

Cornely (4-1) tossed a perfect ninth inning to put the game away and secure the win for himself. Fassold (5-7) took the loss allowing five earned runs on five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

The Hillcats kept themselves within a half game of the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Frederick Keys with the win in the Northern Division playoff race.

Tomorrow night begins a six-game home stand for the Hillcats. The Winston-Salem Dash come to town tomorrow for a series opening 6:05pm first pitch. City Stadium will open its gates at 5pm. Meanwhile, the Hillcats On-Deck Show will go on the air at 5:40m. Listen live to Erik Wilson and Jake Levy with the call on 97.9 FM The Planet and online at lynchburg-hillcats.com

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