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Winston-Salem Dash

Hillcats Shock Winston-Salem with Late Rally

May 17, 2017 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 16, 2017) - Winston-Salem jumped out to a 6-1 lead, but a five-run ninth from Lynchburg sent the contest to extra innings, where the Hillcats plated two in their half of the tenth to hand the Dash an 8-6 loss on Tuesday evening at BB&T Ballpark.

Martin Cervenka ignited Lynchburg's big ninth inning with a leadoff single against Dash reliever Andre Wheeler. After surrendering a free pass to Andrew Calica, Wheeler allowed back-to-back singles to Yonathan Mendoza and Jodd Carter to make it a 6-2 game. Ryan Riga (0-2) took over for Wheeler and induced a run-scoring groundout by Daniel Salters to bring the score to 6-3 before serving up a three-run bomb to Willi Castro that knotted the contest up at six.

Lynchburg (18-18) tagged Riga for two more in its half of the tenth on a wild pitch and another RBI single from Mendoza, and Winston-Salem (13-26) could not cash in with runners at first and second and one down in the bottom half of the frame to drop the heartbreaker.

Dash starter Tanner Banks hurled six strong innings while picking up a no-decision, allowing just one run on two hits with three strikeouts for his sixth quality start of the season. The southpaw set down the final 17 Hillcats batters he faced.

Winston-Salem's offense came alive in the home half of the third, as Johan Cruz and Daniel Gonzalez led off the frame with a single and a walk, respectively. After Luis Basabe reached on a fielder's choice and took second on his seventh stolen base of the season, Ronald Bueno lofted Triston McKenzie's offering just beyond the right-field fence to give the Dash a 3-1 lead.

The blast was Bueno's first since July 29, 2016, when he was with High-A Daytona as a member of the Reds organization, stretching a span of 54 games. Bueno's two-out long ball was just the second homer given up by McKenzie all season long, dating back to the fifth inning on April 8 against Myrtle Beach (30.1 innings).

Gonzalez pushed the Dash's lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, roping a two-out double down the right field line to bring Brady Conlan in from third. Zack Collins launched a two-run shot in the next frame that extended the Dash's lead to 6-1. Collins leads the Dash with five home runs.

Kieran Lovegrove (1-1) tossed a perfect ninth frame on 16 pitches, while Jordan Milbrath worked around two walks in the 10th to nail down his first save of the season.

Winston-Salem and Lynchburg next meet for an 11 a.m. Education Day tilt on Wednesday at BB&T Ballpark. Zach Thompson (1-4, 5.52 ERA) toes the slab for the Dash against Hillcats right-hander Brock Hartson (1-1, 3.00 ERA). The Pregame Dash commences at 10:45 a.m., with first pitch on tap for 11 a.m. All the action will be available at wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App.

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Carolina League Stories from May 17, 2017


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