The Lynchburg Hillcats extended their winning streak to eight games with a 5-0 win to open up the four-game homestand against the Frederick Keys. Sean Brady earned the win as he pitched seven scoreless innings while only allowing one hit and striking out four batters. Daniel Salters drove in two runs with a single in the sixth inning to extend the ‘Cats lead to 4-0. Lynchburg’s 12-3 start to the season is the best in all of Minor League Baseball.
Sean Brady (1-1) earned his first win in a Hillcats uniform. Combined with Cole Sulser’s two shutout frames, the Hillcats’ pitching staff extended their scoreless innings streak to 22. Brady faced only two batters over the minimum during his outing. The left-hander allowed one hit and two walks. The 2013 fifth round draft pick lowered his season earned run average to 3.31.
Cole Sulser finished the game for the Hillcats with a scoreless eighth and ninth innings. Sulser struck out one batter and gave up one hit. The lone batter to reach base against Sulser was out at second base on a game-ending double play.
Lynchburg jumped out to an early lead with a one in each of the first two innings. In the first, Yu-Cheng Chang doubled off of the wall to get on base. Two batters later, Bobby Bradly singled in Chang. In the second frame, Mark Mathias reached on a walk and advanced to third on a Salters single. Mathias came home after Ivan Castillo grounded into a fielder’s choice.
In the sixth, facing a left-handed pitcher whose fastball touched 99 mph, Daniel Salters drove in Mike Papi and Taylor Murphywith an opposite-field single to left. The Hillcats added one more run in the seventh inning that was made possible by Keys’ errors. Greg Allen and Chang reached base to lead off the inning. The two pulled off a double steal to put both runners in scoring position and give Allen his Minor League-leading 14th stolen base. Allen came home by way of a catcher’s throwing error to third.
Taylor Murphy extended his team-high hitting streak to eight games…Last year the Hillcats recorded nine shutouts but did not record their fourth shutout until June 20…At one point, Lynchburg notched three shutouts in five games but never recorded back-to-back shutouts…In 2014, the Hillcats had back-to-back no-hitters, but even those were not back to-back-shutouts…Wilmington scored a run in the first of those no-hitters on June 26, 2014. The eight-game winning streak is the team’s longest since they won eight in a row August 15-August 21, 2013.
Lynchburg aims for a ninth straight victory Friday night at 6:30 p.m. It’s a Fantastic Friday Fireworks Night presented by Pepsi. Fans can listen to the action on 93.3 FM and 1320 AM as well as www.lynchburg-hillcats.com, beginning with the Hillcats On-Deck Show at 6:15 p.m.
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Chris Graham
