The Lynchburg Hillcats had six hitters contribute an RBI in a 6-4 win over the Potomac Nationals in Sunday afternoon’s rubber match at City Stadium. Starter Ryan Weber retired 15 straight hitters at one point en route to his second win of the season. The Hillcats scored three runs in the fifth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Kyle Kubitza and RBI-singles from David Rohm and Luis De La Cruz.
For the third time in the three-game series the Hillcats (6-3) gave up a run in the top of the first inning. Nationals (3-6) lead off hitter Billy Burns laid down a drag bunt and, after seeing if it would roll foul, catcher De La Cruz had to rush the throw and wound up sailing it into the right field bullpen. The speedy Burns wound up at third and later scored on an RBI-groundout from Jason Martinson.
The Hillcats tied it up in the home half on an RBI-single from William Beckwith to score Ross Heffley. The ‘Cats took the lead in the second on RBI knocks from Matt Weaver and Matt Lipka.
After the bunt single, Weber (2-0) went on a string of 16 batters without allowing a hit and 15 straight retired. The Hillcats added some insurance with their three-run fifth. After Potomac starter Kylin Turnbull retired the leadoff hitter, he hit Beckwith with a 1-2 pitch. Robby Hefflinger followed with a double to put runners at second and third before Kubitza flew out to center to let Beckwith tag and score. Rohm singled on a flare to right to drive home Hefflnger.
That chased Turnbull (0-2) from the game. He went 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out one. Potomac answered with a three-run inning of their own in the sixth. Randolph Oduber broke up Weber’s retired-batter streak with a one-out double. Billy Burns drove him in with a triple and Michael Taylor drove one right back up the middle for an RBI-single for the third straight hit off Weber.
That ended his day after 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and striking out six. Taylor would score later in the inning on a wild pitch by James Hoyt, who pitched through the eighth allowing just the inherited run to score. Nate Hyatt let the potential tying run on in the ninth but struck out the side to preserve the win and collect his second save of the season.
The Hillcats finished their first home stand of the season 4-2 and head on the road for a three-game series with the Fredrick Keys starting Monday up in Maryland. The Hillcats look for their second straight win, sending David Peterson (0-0, 0.00) to the mound against Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 6.00). First pitch is set for 7pm and the Hillcats On-Deck Show hits the airwaves at 6:40pm on 97.9 FM The Planet and lynchburg-hillcats.com
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Chris Graham
