Tyler Tewell recorded the first multi-homer game of his career, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, but Lynchburg dropped the rubbermatch against Myrtle Beach in a 9-6 slugfest at Calvin Falwell Field Monday night.
Tewell’s second home run came at a critical time, tying the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run shot over the right field fence. It drove in Kevin Ahrens and marked his fourth of the season after he had already hit a solo homer in the previous inning.
Facing a 6-3 deficit, Emerson Landoni began the fifth inning with a walk. Jose Martinez singled, and Kevin Ahrens followed with an RBI base hit to make the contest 6-4. With an 0-1 count, Tewell lined a ball over the right field fence, giving him 16 home runs in his career. Tewell’s first long ball came on the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth when he hit a fly ball over the 390-foot sign in center field to make the score 4-3 at the time.
Lynchburg (41-40) never led in the game and trailed for much of it, falling behind initially 1-0 on a solo home run by Nick Vickerson. Myrtle Beach (51-28) added a pair in the third inning with three consecutive extra-base hits. Kevin Torres hit a triple down the right field line. Chris Garia hit a triple to right-center field, and Hanser Alberto knocked him home with a double. The Pelicans saw eight of their 11 hits on the evening go for extra bases.
Down 3-0, the Hillcats responded with two runs in the third. Daniel Carroll singled and moved into scoring position with his 10th stolen base with the Hillcats. Landoni hit a two-out single to knock him in, and Ahrens doubled off the left field wall two batters later to drive in Landoni. Ahrens went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to give him a team-leading 41. He continues to pace the Carolina League with 25 doubles, including eight in his last six games.
Neither starter factored into the decision after Wes Parsons and Sam Wolff went five innings and left with the game tied, 6-6. Zach Jadofsky (3-3) took the loss after going two innings in relief and allowing two runs in the seventh. After retiring the first two batters of the frame, Nick Williams hit a flair double down the left field line. Jorge Alfaro blooped a single into left for an RBI, and Preston Beck followed with a double to give the Pelicans an 8-6 advantage.
Martire Garcia (1-0) tossed three scoreless innings out of the bullpen and struck out three to earn the victory. Jose Leclerc worked a perfect ninth with one punchout to notch his seventh save in eight tries.
Myrtle Beach’s final run came in the eighth on an RBI single by Torres to score Chris Grayson, giving the Pelicans 46 runs in six games at City Stadium.
Jose Martinez went 3-for-4 to register his fourth multi-hit game and his third three-hit game in nine contests with the Hillcats. He has hit safely in all nine games since joining Lynchburg and currently boasts a .457 batting average.
Lynchburg will hit the road for a three-game set at the Carolina Mudcats, beginning with a 7pm contest Tuesday night. Lucas Sims (6-5, 4.71) will start against lefty Shawn Morimando (7-2, 3.00). The Hillcats On-Deck Show presented by Amtrak Virginia will begin at 6:40pm on 97.9 The Planet. Erik Wilson will have the call.
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