Three-run ninth completes Lynchburg Hillcats comeback win

In 31 games this season, the Hillcats hadn’t come back to win from more than one run down. They also hadn’t won a game in which they trailed in the seventh inning or later. In game 32 of the season, they did both. A three-run ninth inning and a four-run eleventh completed a six-run comeback against the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Monday night.

Wilmington jumped out to a three-run lead in the first with an RBI single from Mauricio Ramos and a two-run base hit by Frank Schwindel.

They made it 6-0 in the third with three more runs thanks to an RBI single from Robert Pehl and a two-run off the bat of Daniel Rockett.

Lynchburg cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth. Luigi Rodriguez singled, moved to second on a groundout, stole third, and then stole home when Bradley Zimmer stole second. Eric Haase followed with an RBI single. Joe Sever produced an RBI single later in the inning that scoredHaase to make it 6-3.

Wilmington pushed the lead back to four with a bases loaded hit-by-a-pitch by Frank Schwindel.

That 7-3 deficit would be short-lived for the Hillcats, as Zimmer went deep over the right field wall for his fifth homer of the year to bring the Hillcats within three once more.

All was quiet until the ninth. With one out, Sever began the comeback effort with a solo home run. Mike Papi followed with double and made it a one-run game when he scored on a double by James Roberts. With two-outs, Clint Frazier one-hopped the right-center field wall and tied things up at seven.

Still tied in the eleventh, Frazier delivered again with a two-run single up the middle. On the play, the throw came into third trying to catch Luigi Rodriguez, but he beat the throw. Frazier tried to take second and Ramos threw the ball to the right field wall allowing all four men to score.

Justin Brantley finished off the bottom half and the Hillcats completed a six-run comeback to win 11-7.

The Hillcats return home on Tuesday night for a three game series against the Frederick Keys. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Fans that can’t make it out to City Stadium can tune into ESPN Radio Virginia 93.3 FM and 1320 AM. The Hillcats’ On-Deck Show begins at 6:15 p.m.