The Lynchburg Hillcats stranded ten runners on base, and went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, in a 4-3 loss to the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Monday.
Lynchburg (66-63, 37-25) got the tying run to third base with one out in the ninth, but Wilmington (63-69, 32-30) closer Tyler Zuber (Save, 9) bounced back with a pair of strikeouts to halt the comeback.
Lynchburg jumped on the board in the first inning. Dillon Persinger led off the first inning with a single up the middle, and two batters later came into score on a double down the left field line to make it 1-0. Later in the inning, Gavin Collins ripped a single through the right side of the infield to make it 2-0.
The Blue Rocks got a run back in the third inning. With Jackson Lueck on third base and two outs, Gabriel Cancel struck out swinging, but the pitch sailed to the backstop, allowing Lueck to come in to score, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Wilmington then got to Tanner Tully (Loss, 5-11) in the fourth. Four of the first five batters singled with Vance Vizcaino and Lueck picking up RBI hits, which chased the Hillcats lefty from the ballgame.
Tully lasted just 3.1 innings allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out four.
Jared Robinson was excellent for Lynchburg out of the bullpen, stranding a pair of runners in the fourth and a leadoff double in the fifth. Robinson worked 3.2 scoreless innings and retired the final nine batters he faced.
Justin Camp (Win, 3-2) was solid out of the Wilmington bullpen, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out three to earn the win.
Ben Krauth struck out the side in the eighth inning to strand a leadoff triple in the eighth inning, but allowed an insurance run in the ninth. Angelo Castellano reached with a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a sacrifice, and scored on a groundout to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Hillcats were unable to cash in despite having two men on with less than two out on four different occasions. However, in the ninth inning, Persinger led off with a single down the left field line, and scored on a Mitch Longo triple one batter later. With the tying run a third, Zuber struck out Jones and Trenton Brooks to end the ballgame and spoil the comeback bid.
Game two of the four-game set will begin Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m., when right-hander Andres Sotillet (2-5, 5.80) takes the hill for Wilmington, opposed by Hillcats righty Eli Morgan (7-7, 3.67).
Max Gun and Matt Present will be on the air with the Hillcats pregame show beginning at 6:20 p.m. on TuneIn Radio and Radio434.
It will be 2FurTuesday at City Stadium with buy-one-get-one tickets, and $2 concessions deals.
Thursday will be Fan Appreciation Day at the ballpark, featuring a patriotic hat giveaway to the first 1,000 fans, courtesy of Foster Fuels and KD Country. Fans will be treated to various giveaways and concessions deals throughout the game and the night will be capped off with the final post-game fireworks display of the season, presented by Central Virginia Federal Credit Union.
Fan Appreciation Night will also be the final Thirsty Thursday at City Stadium in 2018, featuring $2 Miller Lite and Yuengling drafts.
For tickets and more information, visit lynchburg-hillcats.com, the City Stadium box office, or call 434-528-1144.
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Chris Graham
