The Lynchburg Hillcats dropped a lopsided affair 11-2 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks tonight. Coming off nearly an eight-hour bus ride through the night, the Hillcats lost a sloppy opening game in Wilmington. They committed five errors and only managed three hits. Matt Weaver had a good night going 2-for-4, adding a highlight reel catch in right-center field that kept the seventh inning from really getting out of hand. The Blue Rocks scored seven in the seventh inning even with Weaver robbing Parker Morin of an extra-base hit.
A.J. Holland hit the first Blue Rock he faced in the bottom of the first inning. Jack Lopez stole second base after getting plunked. He reached third on a ground out to first base and then scored on a wild pitch. Holland gave up a double and walk later in the inning but stranded those two runners. The hit batter, wild pitch, and walk were just a preview of the wild night about to ensue for Hillcats pitching.
The Hillcats (17-25, 53-58) tied the game in the third inning. Sam Selman walked Elmer Reyes to start the frame. Then, Weaver collected his first hit. After a ground out, Selman walked two more to bring home a run.
The tie was short lived as Holland struggled in the bottom of the third. After Lopez was hit by the pitch, again, to lead off the inning, the Blue Rocks (19-26, 52-63) collected three singles around a ground out to the pitcher. Holland left the game after just 2.1 innings. Chasen Shreve entered to put out the fire. Three runs scored in the inning, all charged to Holland. The Blue Rocks went up 4-1.
Things calmed down after the third inning, although the innings stayed long due to foul balls and deep counts. Hillcats pitching combined to walk nine (one intentional) and hit three batters. The Blue Rocks stranded 15 runners while still scoring 11.
The knockout blow came in the seventh inning as Carlos Perez entered to pitch for Lynchburg. Perez didn’t retire a batter. He faced eight hitters, walked four, committed two errors, had an error committed behind him, and gave up one hit. Seven runs scored in the inning, only two of which were earned. Wilmington took a commanding 11-1 lead.
Lynchburg scored one more run in the ninth inning, but it was far too little too late.
Selman (9-8) earned the win allowing just one run over five innings, while Holland (4-8) suffered the loss surrendering four runs in 2.1 innings.
Game two of the three game series is set for tomorrow night at 7:05pm. The Hillcats will throw RHP Greg Ross (7-5, 3.32) against RHP Kellen Moen (1-4, 5.68) for the Blue Rocks. The Hillcats On-Deck Show powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg will go on the air at 6:40pm. Listen live to Erik Wilson with the call on 97.9 FM The Planet and online atlynchburg-hillcats.com