Lynchburg Hillcats top Wilmington Blue Rocks, 8-5

Lynchburg scored early and often as the Hillcats pulled away late to take an 8-5 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Monday night at Frawley Stadium. D.J. Brown picked up his career-high ninth victory of the season in the rubber match.

 

AND THEY’RE OFF

Lynchburg wasted no time getting on the board as Luigi Rodriguez singled to lead off the game and stole second base beforeNellie Rodriguez drove him home with a RBI single to right that gave the Hillcats a 1-0 lead.

AUDIO: Nellie Rodriguez RBI single

 

Wilmington went punch-for-punch with the Hillcats throughout the game, beginning in the first inning. Carlos Garcia led off the frame with a single and advanced to third on a double by Jack Lopez. Three batters later, Elier Hernandez flew out to center on a sacrifice fly that scored Garcia to tie the game at one. Wilmington took the lead in the bottom of the second when Garcia rifled a two-run shot, his first home run of the season, over the right field wall to make it 3-1 Blue Rocks.

 

ALL KNOTTED UP

In the top of the third, the Hillcats used a pair of runs to tie the game at three. Yhoxian Medina singled to drive home Ivan Castillo, who walked to begin the inning, and Clint Frazier grounded out to short, scoring Luigi Rodriguez from third.

AUDIO: Medina RBI single

 

DON’T LOOK BACK

Lynchburg plated two more in the top of the fourth as Sicnarf Loopstok led off the frame with a double and was immediately driven home by Claudio Bautista, giving the Hillcats a 4-3 lead. In the very next at bat, Castillo doubled to right field and the throw was off the mark, allowing Bautista to score and extended the lead to 5-3. Wilmington would get within one run two more times in the game but was never able to pull even with the Hillcats.

AUDIO: Bautista scores on error

 

ADDING TO THE TOTALS

In the top of the sixth, Mike Papi led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Dorssys Paulino. He was driven home in the next at bat by Loopstok who recorded a sacrifice fly to center that gave the Hillcats a 6-4 lead.

Frazier stayed true to form and led off the eighth with a double of his own and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Nellie Rodriguez smacked a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Frazier from third to extend the lead to 7-5.

Just for good measure, Medina picked up his second RBI of the game on a single to right that scored Bautista to put the Hillcats up three, 8-5.

 

FINISHING TOUCHES

D.J. Brown picked up his career-high ninth win of the season after turning in a 6 2/3 inning performance. Brown allowed four earned runs on eight hits while striking out six before being replaced by Perci Garner with two outs in the seventh. Garner went the remaining distance and picked up his second career save and first as a Hillcat while allowing just two hits and striking out three.

 

KEEPING UP WITH THE ‘CATS

Yhoxian Medina went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs…Medina has recorded a multi-hit game in four of his last five contests and is hitting 10-for-25 (.400) during that stretch…Luigi Rodriguez tied a season-high with three hits in the game…Rodriguez has accomplished the feat seven times this season, the last coming against Salem on July 4…With the win, the Hillcats have won five of their last six contests and are back to .500 in the second half with a 16-16 record.

 

UP NEXT

Lynchburg will return home for a three-game series against the Salem Red Sox on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. Gates will open at5:30 p.m. Fans can tune in to the action on ESPN Virginia 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.combeginning at 6:10 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.