For the third time in four games, the Hillcats and Nationals went to extra innings before Ka’ai Tom hit a double down the left field line to score Claudio Bautista from first base and give Lynchburg a 4-3 victory in 10 innings at City Stadium Monday night.
Potomac jumped out to an early lead when Austin Davidson lined a ball to right field to score Jack Sundberg in the top of the third. The lead wouldn’t last long, as just one inning later, Sicnarf Loopstok hit a double to right center field to bring in Tom to tie the game at 1-1.
Loopstok wasn’t done there. With two on and one out in the sixth, the team leader in RBIs doubled again to drive home Claudio Bautista. Loopstok’s 23rd RBI of the season gave the Hillcats a 2-1 advantage at that point.
In the next half inning, Victor Robles walked with the bases loaded, pushing Rhett Wiseman across the plate to tie it back up at 2-all. Austin Davidson hit a sacrifice fly to deep center to knock in Edwin Lora. With two runners on, Alsis Herrera entered to record the final out of the seventh and hold Potomac to a 3-2 lead.
In their last frame, the Hillcats regained their footing. Martin Cervenka tripled off the top of the wall in right-center field to begin the ninth. Andrew Calica flied out to right to plate pinch-runner Willi Castro and send the game to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, Tom’s ninth double of the season ended the game and secured Lynchburg a 4-3 victory.
Brock Hartson turned in his fourth quality start in as any outings but did not factor into the decision after allowing one run on four hits in six innings. The decision went to Alsis Herrera (1-0), who allowed just one hit over 3 1/3 innings in his Advanced-A debut after joining the team from Lake County Monday. For Potomac, starting pitcher Matthew Crownover went seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Mariano Rivera III was on the hook for both a blown save and the loss after he conceded two runs on four hits in 2 1/3 frames. It was Rivera’s second blown save of the season and just his first loss.
Lynchburg won four of the five games against Potomac in the four-day series, including two of the extra-inning affairs. The Hillcats are now 3-3 in extras and have won three games in their final at-bat over the past week.
The Hillcats hit the road for a three-game series at Wilmington, beginning with a Tuesday contest at 6:35 p.m. Shao-Ching Chiang (6-1, 2.39) will put his streak of six consecutive victories on the line in Lynchburg’s first meeting with the Blue Rocks this year. Fans can listen to the game live at www.lynchburg-hillcats.com beginning with pre-game coverage at 6:30.
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Chris Graham
