Lynchburg Hillcats fall to Frederick

The Frederick Keys racked up five runs in the first inning tonight on their way to an 8-5 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats. The ‘Cats hit the Orioles top prospect, RHP Dylan Bundy, hard, scoring four runs in the first three innings, but fell short for the third straight game. Chris Garcia led the HIllcats’ offense with a two-run homer and three runs scored in the loss.

The Keys batted around their order in the bottom of the first. The first four batters reached on a walk, followed by three consecutive singles. Five runs scored on five hits ultimately in the frame. Michael Mosby, the eighth batter of the inning, capped the rally with a two-run single.

Bundy was touched up in the second and third innings. He gave up four straight hits in the second including two doubles to Garcia and Edward Salcedo, followed by a single off the wall to Adam Milligan. Milligan was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double. Garcia and Salcedo both scored in the second to cut the Keys’ lead to 5-2. Garcia came up again in the third inning. He his two-run homer to bring the ‘Cats with one run, 5-4 Frederick.

LHP Dimasther Delgado pitched into the third inning for Lynchburg. He retired the first batter of the inning with a flyout to left field. The next five batters all reached base. Two runs scored on Garabez Rosa’s bases loaded single. Delgado was relieved one batter later after he hit Johnny Ruettiger to load the bases again. RHP Ryne Harper entered the game. He struck out Jerome Pena and induced a pop-up to shortstop from Tyler Townsend to strand the bases loaded. The Keys led 7-4 after three innings.

Neither team scored again until the seventh inning.

Mike Flacco reached base on an error to start off the bottom of the seventh. After a strikeout, back-to-back singles brought Flacco home to increase the Keys’ lead to 8-4. The Hillcats scored once more as well in the top of the eighth. Garcia and Salcedo drew walks. Garcia would tag and advance on consecutive flyouts to right field to score the fifth run for Lynchburg.

In the ninth inning, Mycal Jones worked a one out walk, which ended RHP Oscar Melendez’s night. The closer, RHP David Walters, entered for Frederick. He struck out the only two batters he faced to record his 11th save of the season.

Bundy (6-3) earned the win, despite giving up four earned runs over five and one-third innings. Delgado (6-6) took the loss. He surrendered seven earned runs, completing just two and one-third innings. It was his shortest outing of the season.

The Hillcats are now 21-24 in the second half, but are still only a half-game out of first place in the Northern Division.