Josh Elander had a five-hit game that included a home run to help the Lynchburg Hillcats move within a game of clinching the postseason with an 11-0 win over the Frederick Keys Tuesday night at City Stadium. Elander drove in five runs and scored three times while Trent Moses also went yard for a two-run shot. Ryan Hinson threw six scoreless innings for his fourth win of the season.
It was the final game of the series between the Hillcats (32-31, 68-64) and Keys (24-39, 58-74) as well as the season-series finale. With the win, the Hillcats took the individual series, 3-games-to-1, and the season-series 10-games-to-9. The Keys go down as the only Northern Division opponent the Hillcats took the season series from this season.
After the Hillcats had their first two batters retired in the first inning, the next five hitters all reached. Three straight singles, including an RBI-knock by Elander, followed by a hit batter had the bases loaded with a run already in when Elmer Reyes cleared the bases with a three-run double. It was 4-0 Hillcats after one.
Then in the third inning the Hillcats were back at it, scoring four more times. The first four batters all got hites. Kyle Kubitza led off with a double then David Rohm singled before Elander drove them both in with a double. Moses followed up with his third home run of the year, a two-run blast, and the Hillcats led 8-0.
Hinson (4-3) meanwhile went six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out six batters that included five looking strikeouts. Trent Howard (3-2) was pulled after the third and took the loss after giving up eight runs on nine hits.
Navery Moore made his first appearance on the mound for Lynchburg since June, delivering a perfect eighth inning that included a strikeout. Moore was activated off the Disabled List
The Hillcats are now one win away from clinching the Northen Division Wild Card spot and get two cracks at it Wednesday with a doubleheader against the Carolina Mudcats. First pitch of game one is set for 6:05pm with games opening at 5pm. Ryan Weber (6-4, 3.32) gets the game one start for Lynchburg against Joseph Colon (4-3, 2.99) for the Mudcats. Then after a thirty minute break Jose Lugo (0-1, 4.50) takes the mound against Ryan Merritt (0-0, 1.80) for Carolina. Erik Wilson and Jake Levy have the broadcast starting at5:55pm on 97.9 FM The Planet lynchburg-hillcats.com
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Chris Graham
