Late run lifts Lynchburg

The Hillcats snapped a four-game losing streak tonight with a 1-0 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks. RHP Gus Schlosser, LHP Matt Chafee, and RHP Juan Jaime combined for the Hillcats’ sixth shutout of the season. Lynchburg’s pitching dominated, only allowing one runner into scoring position the entire night.

Schlosser pitched the first six innings of the shutout. He allowed just two hits over the first five innings without a runner reaching second base. In the sixth, Kevin David and Angel Franco recorded back-to-back singles, but Schlosser induced a pop-up to shortstop and struck out a batter to get out of the jam. He allowed four hits, walked none, and struck out six in his six scoreless frames, but would take a no-decision.

RHP Yordano Ventura matched Schlosser with five and two-thirds scoreless. He left the game in the sixth with runners at first and third. RHP Nick Graffeo came in and popped up Edward Salcedo to stop the threat. Ventura struck out 10, which matched his season and career-high.

The game went scoreless into the ninth inning. Adam Milligan led off the Hillcats ninth with a single. Emerson Landoni then entered to pinch-run for Milligan. Salcedo smacked a broken-bat single to left field on a hit-and-run, which moved Landoni to third base with nobody out. Bobby Stevens delivered the fly ball needed to score Landoni from third as his skied a 1-0 pitch deep to center. Lynchburg led 1-0.

After LHP Matt Chaffee completed the seventh and eighth scoreless, walking one and striking out three, RHP Juan Jaime stepped in for the ninth. He sat down the side in order and recorded his 15th save of the season in 15 opportunities. Chaffee (2-0) earned the win.

The ‘Cats are now 5-5 in the second half.