The Lynchburg Hillcats beat the Winston-Salem Dash 6-3 tonight with the help of three home runs, and a great pitching effort from starter Greg Ross. Will Skinner and Kyle Kubitza provided the power. Skinner homered twice, giving him five in his last five games, and Kubitza went deep for the third time in three games against the Dash this week. With the win tonight the ‘Cats took the series 2-1.
Skinner’s first home run gave the Hillcats (34-30) the first lead of the game 1-0 leading off the second inning. Ross Heffley drove in two more runs with a single later in the frame. Kubitza’s homer came in the third inning as the Hillcats jumped out to a 4-0 advantage. Kubitza went 4-for-11 in the three-game series against the Dash (35-31) this week with three home runs.
Ross (3-3) didn’t allow a hit to the Dash until the fourth inning. Chris Curley broke up the no-no with an infield single. The Dash didn’t score until the fifth. Martin Medina delivered a two-out double down the left field line that brought Grant Buckner into score. Medina advanced to third on the throw to the plate and later scored on a wild pitch, cutting the Hillcats lead to 4-2.
An error helped the ‘Cats score their fifth run in the seventh inning, and another blast from Skinner put Lynchburg up 6-3 in the eighth. Skinner now has 11 home runs on the season, tied for the third most in the Carolina League.
The Hilcats chased the Dash starter from the game after just three innings tonight. Chris Beck gave up four runs in the first three frames, throwing over 80 pitches. Beck (6-7) took the loss and is now 0-3 against the Hillcats this season. Ross earned the win for Lynchburg allowing just two runs over six innings of work, throwing on three days rest tonight.
There are just four days left in the first half, and the Hillcats will finish with five games in Salem against the Red Sox. A doubleheader is scheduled for tomorrow at Salem Memorial Ballpark starting at 5:30pm. Game one will see RHP Ryan Weber (4-1, 2.59) on the mound for the Hillcats and RHP Kyle Stroup (3-4, 3.86) toeing the rubber for Salem. Game two’s starter are to be announced. The Hillcats On-Deck Show powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg will come on the air at 5:20pm. Listen live to Erik Wilson and Jake Levy with the call on 97.9 FM The Planet and online atlynchburg-hillcats.com
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Chris Graham
