Lynchburg Hillcats fall to Carolina, 3-0

The Lynchburg Hillcats put up just two hits in a 3-0 loss to Carolina Mudcats tonight.

The game didn’t get started until 8:08 p.m., after a 53-minute rain delay. RHP Danny Salazar, RHP Jordan Cooper, and RHP Grant Sides combined for the shutout of the Hillcats. Braeden Schlehuber went 2-for-4 but was the only Hillcat to record a hit the whole night.

The Mudcats took the lead right away in the first inning. Tony Wolters led off the first with a double. He moved to third base on a groundout to first. Giovanny Urshela then singled to plate Wolters. It was 1-0 Carolina.

The leadoff man for the Mudcats ended up reaching five out of six times off of RHP Michael Lee, who made his first start of the season for Lynchburg tonight.

Jesus Aguilar started the bottom of the fourth with a double for Carolina. Two batters later, Anthony Gallas single him home to make it 2-0 Mudcats.

Aguilar reached again to start the sixth inning. Carlos Moncrief’s single pushed him to third before Gallas lined out to left field deep enough for Aguilar to tag and score. The Mudcats led 3-0. The sacrifice fly sent Lee to the dugout and RHP Ryan Weber entered from the bullpen.

It was the first appearance for Weber since he was recalled from Low-A Rome on Wednesday. Weber did not allow a hit over two and two-thirds scoreless innings.

The Hillcats offense was stagnant all night, never getting a runner to third base. Salazar tossed four scoreless innings matching his season-high before coming out as planned in the fifth. Salazar has had his innings limited all season due to right elbow surgery after the 2010 season. Cooper relieved him in the fifth and threw four perfect innings, retiring 12 Hillcats in order and striking out four. Sides walked two batters in the ninth but stranded both to earn his fourth save of the season.

Cooper (6-3) earned the win, while Lee (0-1) suffered the loss. Lee gave up three earned runs on nine hits.

The Hillcats are now 14-14 in the second half and tied for first place in the Northern Division with the Potomac Nationals.