Back-To-Back Homers Not Enough in Lynchburg
June 21, 2013 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. (June 21, 2013) - Winston-Salem dropped the opener of the season's second half by a score of 5-4 to the Lynchburg Hillcats on Friday night from Lynchburg City Stadium.
The Dash (0-1, 38-33), who finished with the league's third-best record in the first half, dropped to 3-9 against Lynchburg (1-0, 37-33) thus far in 2013 despite only allowing one hit in the final five innings. Winston stranded nine runners and went just 2-for-9 with men in scoring position.
After Lynchburg jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair in the second, Winston-Salem responded with back-to-back homers in the third. With two on and two away, Grant Buckner cleared the fence in left-center for his sixth homer, and Josh Richmond took the very next pitch out to dead center. This marked the first time the Dash have clubbed back-to-back home runs this year.
However, the Hillcats knotted the score in the last of the frame when Robby Hefflinger hit a two-run homer, his league-leading 19th blast of the campaign.
Lynchburg looked to the long ball once again in the sixth to take the lead for good. After Winston-Salem pitching had retired nine in a row, Will Skinner crushed a two-out homer to push the Hillcats in front for good. The dinger was Skinner's 13th of the season and his fifth against Winston-Salem.
Throughout his first relief appearance of the season, Lynchburg's Greg Ross (4-3) largely befuddled Winston-Salem hitters. The Dash did strand three runners in the final two innings against Ross, who worked around an infield single and an error in the ninth to preserve the win for the Hillcats.
Both starters had comparable efforts as Winston-Salem's Jake Cose and Lynchburg's Ryan Weber worked five innings and allowed four runs. Cose and Weber bounced back from rocky starts to set down the final seven they faced en route to no decisions.
Out of the Dash's bullpen, Brandon Hardin (2-1) was solid outside of one mistake, which was Skinner's long ball in the sixth inning. Following Hardin's two innings of relief, Max Peterson worked around an error to post a zero in the eighth.
Winston-Salem and Lynchburg meet in the middle match of this weekend set Saturday at 6:05 p.m. The Dash turn to Bryan Blough (5-4, 4.54 ERA), while the Hillcats counter with fellow righty Jarrett Miller (5-3, 3.72 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on wsdash.com.
The Dash return to BB&T Ballpark on Monday for a four-game series against the Salem Red Sox. For tickets, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.
Carolina League Stories from June 21, 2013
- Strong Start Leads Red Sox Past Rocks - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Frederick Falls to Pelicans, 7-3 - Frederick Keys
- Nationals Fry the Mudcats 5-1 in Second Half Opener - Potomac Nationals
- Pelicans Start Second Half with 7-3 Win at Frederick - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Sox Pound Rocks 9-2 in Second Half Opener - Salem Red Sox
- Homer-Happy 'Cats Blast Dash - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Back-To-Back Homers Not Enough in Lynchburg - Winston-Salem Dash
- Mudcats Collapse in Loss to Open Second Half - Carolina Mudcats
- Salem Sox vs. Blue Rocks - Game Notes - June 21, 2013 - Salem Red Sox
- Hillcats vs. Dash - Game Notes - June 21, 2013 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Pelicans vs. Keys - Game Notes - June 21, 2013 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash vs. Hillcats - Game Notes - June 21, 2013 - Winston-Salem Dash
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
