Lynchburg tops Carolina, 5-4

Lynchburg pulled away late in a back and forth affair to seal a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Mudcats on Sunday afternoon at City Stadium. Dorssys Paulino went 3-for-4 at the plate and was a home run shy of the cycle.

 

WASHINGTON DRIVES IN A RUN

In the bottom of the second inning, the Hillcats took a 1-0 lead as LeVon Washington drove a double to left-center field that allowed Joe Sever to score all the way from first base.

AUDIO: Washington RBI double

 

MUDCATS TAKE THE LEAD

Lynchburg’s lead didn’t last long as Carolina took a 2-1 lead with a two-run third. Connor Lien led off the frame with a walk and scored from third on a wild pitch to tie the game at one. With the bases loaded and no one out, Joey Meneses hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Sal Giardina, who singled earlier in the frame, to give Carolina a one-run lead.

 

BACK ON TOP

Daniel Salters and Claudio Bautista each singled with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Greg Allen reached on a walk to load the bases,, and Yhoxian Medina drove in Salters and Bautista with a two-RBI single that gave the Hillcats a 3-2 lead. In the fifth, Dorssys Paulino tripled in his second straight game and scored on a RBI double by Joe Sever that put the Hillcats ahead 4-2.

AUDIO: Medina two-RBI single

AUDIO: Sever RBI double

 

ROUGH OUTING FOR BROWN

Mitch Brown started the game for the Hillcats but ran into some trouble early. Brown walked five batters through two innings and was pulled in the third after loading the bases without recording an out. He allowed two runs on two hits and struck out just two batters to earn the no-decision. Justin Brantley took over and pitched three scoreless innings and surrendered just one hit.Perci Garner (3-1) allowed two runs over 2 2/3 innings but earned his third win of the year.

 

ALL KNOTTED UP

Carolina did not go away quietly as Joey Meneses walked and Tanner Krietemeier singled to lead off the sixth inning. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch by Perci Garner. Reed Harper drove both runners in on a two-RBI single to center field that tied the game at four.

 

PULLING AWAY LATE

With the game tied at four in the bottom of the seventh, Dorssys Paulino doubled with two outs and scored as Joe Seversingled up the middle to give the Hillcats a 5-4 lead. Grant Sides entered the game with two outs in the eighth and carried the Hillcats through the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.

AUDIO: Sever RBI single

 

KEEPING UP WITH THE CATS

Hillcats inflielder Joe Sever went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and a pair of RBIs…Sever has recorded five RBIs and is hitting 5-for-9 in his last two games…Dorssys Paulino recorded his second triple in as many games for the Hillcats…Paulinofinished 3-for-4 at the plate and came just a home run shy of the cycle.

 

UP NEXT

Lynchburg wraps up the regular season against the Carolina Mudcats on Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.. Gates will open at 1 p.m.Fans can tune in to the action on ESPN Virginia 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com beginning at 1:40 p.m. for the Hillcats On-Deck Show.