The Hillcats went to 13 innings for the second time this season tonight, eventually walking away with an 8-5 win over the Winston-Salem Dash. Tommy La Stella starred for the Hillcats with a five-hit effort, including a triple in the 13th inning that started the game-winning three-run rally.
Dan Brewer led the game off with a double for Lynchburg. Nick Ahmed followed with an RBI-single to put the ‘Cats up 1-0 early. Mycal Jones added a solo homer, his third of the season, in the second inning. The Hillcats led 2-0.
Winston-Salem got on the board in the fourth inning. Mike Blanke drove in Dan Black with a two-out single. The Lynchburg lead was cut to 2-1.
La Stella extended the lead to two again in the sixth inning with an RBI-single. Then, Edward Salcedo launched his team-best 15th homer of the season in the seventh inning to put the ‘Cats up 4-2.
LHP Dimasther Delgado would exit the game with the lead after six solid innings. He gave up just two runs on six hits, walked no one and struck out five for the Hillcats. His win was spoiled in the eighth inning by Blanke’s three-run home off LHP Chasen Shreve.
It was Shreve’s first appearance for the Hillcats since July 11. He was just brought back from Double-A Mississippi yesterday. The Dash took their one and only lead 5-4 into the ninth inning.
Due to lead off the ninth was Adam Milligan, who was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. He came through in the biggest of ways with his 14th home run of the season to tie the game at 5-5.
Extra innings was needed for the 15th time this season for the Hillcats. That’s the most of any Carolina League team this season.
The bonus frames went scoreless until the 13th, when La Stella tripled with one out. Three batters later, Salcedo doubled him home, and the next batter, Jones, single in a pair of Hillcats to make it 8-5 Lynchburg.
RHP Ian Marshall who had thrown the 11th and 12th scoreless, came out in the 13th and gave up a leadoff single. LHP Blaine Sims was then brought in from the bullpen. Sims induced a pop-up to shortstop, and a 1-6-3 double play to end the game.
Marshall (1-4) earned his first win with 2+ scoreless innings in extras. The loss went to RHP J.R. Ballinger (2-3) who pitched a perfect 12th but gave up all three runs in the 13th. Sims earned his first save of the season.
The Hillcats are now 32-33 in the second half, and still 2.5 games out of first place with five games to play.
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