The Down East Wood Ducks utilized a solid pitching performance to cruise to a win over the Lynchburg Hillcats by a final score of 4-2.
The Hillcats (28-28) fall back to .500 with the loss over Down East (40-18), who are the first 40-win team in the Carolina League.
The Wood Ducks took the lead in the top of the fourth inning, when Sam Huff got on base with a walk and later scored on an RBI single off the bat of Yohel Pozo.
In the top of the fifth frame, Eric Jenkins drew a leadoff walk. An error by Hillcats second baseman Wilbis Santiago allowed Yonny Hernandez to reach base. An RBI single by Leody Taveras scored the two baserunners to push the Down East lead to 3-0.
Luke Wakamatsu began the sixth inning with a walk. Following a Jodd Carter single, Nolan Jones singled off the right field wall to score Wakamatsu, cutting the Lynchburg deficit to 3-1.
In the seventh inning, Jenkins led off the frame with a single. He scored on a single by Taveras, the third run driven in by the Down East center fielder of the day.
Lynchburg mounted a rally in the eighth inning, as Wakamatsu again led off the inning with a walk. Steven Kwan singled to put two runners aboard for Jones. The third baseman ripped an RBI single to score Wakamatsu, making the score 4-2 in favor of the Woodies. A line out by Oscar Gonzalez and a groundout by Santiago ended the threat for the Hillcats.
Juan Hillman (Loss, 3-5) allowed three earned runs over five innings of work while racking up a pair of strikeouts. Randy Valladares, making his ‘Cats debut, tossed three innings of one-run baseball while punching out two batters. Jonathan Teaney allowed just one hit in a clean ninth inning.
Alex Eubanks (5-1) threw five shutout frames on two hits while striking out four batters. Cole Uvila allowed one run over two frames, and Michael Matuella was tagged with an earned run while tossing a third of an inning. Joe Kuzia (Save, 3) did not allow a run over 1.2 innings of work.
The Hillcats will look for the win in the rubber match against the Wood Ducks on Tuesday. Lynchburg right-hander Matt Solter (4-0) will look for his fifth straight win as he faces off against Woodies righty Jason Bahr (4-1, 2.11). The game will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Max Gun and Anders Jorstad will be on the air at 6:20 p.m. with the Hillcats pre-game show on TuneIn Radio and the Radio434 App.
Tuesday will also be Kids Eat Free Tuesday on June 4, where all kids in attendance will get a free meal from the concessions stand presented by MedExpress.
For tickets or more information, visit lynchburg-hillcats.com, call 434-528-1144, or visit the City Stadium box office.
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Chris Graham
