Lynchburg Hillcats beat Carolina Mudcats in rubber match

The Lynchburg Hillcats (17-20) won their second straight series tonight with a 5-3 win over the Carolina Mudcats (19-17). Kyle Wren and David Nick both went 3-for-5 tonight as the Hillcats tallied 12 knocks in the rubbermatch victory.

The Hillcats strung together three consecutive hits in the first inning to take quick 2-0 lead. Nick and Kevin Ahrens both contributed RBI singles. They added a third run in the third inning when Nick doubled home Jose Peraza.

Carolina answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. Todd Hankins hit a solo home run, his second in his last two games. Logan Vick then tripled off the top of the wall in right-center field, and scored on a groundout to third. The Mudcats went on to tie the game in the fifth. Jeremy Lucas hit an RBI triple to left-center field.

Greg Ross stayed in through the sixth inning for the Hillcats completing his fourth quality start of the season. Ross (3-1) surrendered three earned runs on eight hits, walked no one and struck out four. The Hillcats broke the 3-3 tie in the sixth, and Ross earned the win.

Edison Sanchez singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth. Then, in the seventh, an two-out error led to a run scoring to make it 5-3 Hillcats.

Benino Pruneda threw the seventh and eighth scoreless for Lynchburg before Nate Hyatt took over in the ninth. Hyatt walked two with one out, but finished the ninth scoreless earning his second save of the year.

The Hillcats finished their week-long road trip 5-2, winning back-to-back series against the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Mudcats. Next, they will host the Blue Rocks in a four-game series this weekend at City Stadium.

Game one is Thursday night at 6:05pm. Right-hander Jarett Miller (1-3, 4.11) will start for Lynchburg against lefty Daniel Stumpf (1-5, 3.77) for the Blue Rocks. Gates will open at 5pm for another 70s Night at City Stadium. Fans dressed in 70s attire get in for just five bucks. If you can’t make it to the ballpark, however, the Hillcats On-Deck Show presented by Amtrak Virginia will go on the air at 5:40pm. Erik Wilson and Kyle West will have the call on 97.9 The Planet.