Despite allowing a five-run advantage to get away Wednesday night, the Lynchburg Hillcats hung tough, and came back to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the tenth to walk-off the Potomac Nationals, 7-6 in ten innings.
Lynchburg (65-59, 36-21) has now won ten of their last 11 ballgames, and with the victory over Potomac (65-58, 28-28), they have won five consecutive series.
After the P-Nats scored six unanswered runs, the Hillcats entered the tenth inning down to their final three outs. Tyler Friis pinch ran at second base to begin the inning, and Nolan Jones ripped a double into the left-center gap to tie the ballgame at 6-6. Gavin Collins would then bunt Jones up to third base, setting up Trenton Brooks who lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Jones for the Hillcats fourth walk-off win of the season, and second with Brooks as the hero.
Steven Fuentes (Loss, 3-3) gave up the sac fly in the tenth, and overall gave up two runs (one earned), on a hit and three strikeouts in two innings of work. Kyle Nelson (Win, 2-0) earned his second win in as many outings for the Hillcats, picking up the final out in the top of the tenth to strand a pair of baserunners.
Lynchburg got out to a 5-0 lead early. Dillon Persinger and Mitch Longo walked to begin the bottom of the first. Jones then singled through the right side to plate Persinger, and Longo crossed on a double play ball to make it 2-0.
The Hillcats built on the lead in the third inning. Persinger again led off with a walk, and two batters later Jones crushed his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, to give the ‘Cats the 4-0 edge. Later in the frame, Jose Medina doubled down the right field line to score Collins to put Lynchburg up by five, chasing starter Kyle Johnston from the game. Jones finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in a career-high four runs for Lynchburg.
Johnston lasted just 2.1 innings, giving up five runs on three hits, walked six, while striking out four.
Potomac, however, would respond against Tanner Tully in the fourth. They began the inning with four consecutive hits, including RBI singles from Andruw Monasterio and Rhett Wiseman to put them on the board, 5-2. Later on in the inning, after the Nationals plated a third run, Jack Sundberg singled to right to trim the Hillcats lead to just one run, ending the night for Tully.
The lefty worked 3.2 innings giving up four runs on eight hits, stuck out two, and did not walk a batter.
The Nationals tied the game at 5-5 in the fifth, on a David Masters RBI single, scoring Monasterio, who walked to lead off the frame.
Neither team could muster much offense from that point on during regulation. Ben Krauth led the Hillcats bullpen with three scoreless innings, matching a season-high with six strikeouts, while Carlos Acevedo equaled him for Potomac with five punch-outs in 3.2 innings out of the pen.
The P-Nats only lead of the ballgame was in the top of the tenth when Monasterio began the frame at second base. After Dalbert Siri walked the bases loaded, Monasterio would come into score on a wild pitch to make it 6-5.
The Hillcats go for the sweep on Thursday when they send right-hander Eli Morgan (7-6, 3.87) to the hill to face off with Potomac lefty Nick Raquet (2-3, 6.75) at 6:30 p.m.
Max Gun and Matt Present will be on the air beginning at 6:20 p.m. on TuneIn Radio and Radio434.
It will Thirsty Thursday at City Stadium with $2 Miller Lite and Yuengling drafts. It’s also mustache night, where all fans who come to the ballpark with a mustache will be given half-price admission. There will also be a mustache contest, and the winner will receive a watch compliments of Kay Jewlers.
For tickets and more information visit lynchburg-hillcats.com, the City Stadium box office, or call 434-528-1144.
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Chris Graham
