Blue Rocks Hold off Hillcats in Thrilling Win
Published on August 29, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release
Lynchburg, VA - In a nail-biting game, the Wilmington Blue Rocks (65-69 / 34-30) held off a late-inning rally by the Lynchburg Hillcats (67-64 / 38-26) to cling to a 6-5 win Wednesday night at Calvin Falwell Field. Bryan Brickhouse stranded the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the eighth inning and left the tying-run on base in the ninth to earn his 13th save of the season. Vance Vizcaino led the offense with three hits and drove in three runs. The Blue Rocks are now four games out of first place with six games to play as they continue their push to clinch a playoff spot.
Wilmington had to hold on in the eighth inning after Nolan Jones doubled home a run to make it a 6-3 ballgame before Trenton Brooks singled home a pair of runs to make it a 6-5 score. Brickhouse came in relief of Andrew Beckwith and struck out Anthony Miller looking with the tying and go-ahead runs at second and third base to end the threat and inning. Brickhouse went back out for the ninth inning and after a one out walk to Yorma Rodriguez, he got a strikeout and groundout to preserve the victory.
The Blue Rocks erased yet another early inning deficit for the third straight game after the Hillcats plated the game's first run on an RBI double from Brooks. After three consecutive singles from Emmanuel Rivera, Meibrys Viloria and Travis Jones, Vance Vizcaino cleared the bases with a three-run triple to put the Blue Rocks ahead, 3-1. Angelo Castellano followed with a single to left field to make it a 4-1 game.
Wilmington's starter Ofreidy Gomez did not surrender a run over his next five innings, despite allowing runners to reach scoring position in each of the frames, including a pair of bases loaded jams in the fourth and sixth innings in which he was able to escape from to earn his fifth win of the season.
The Blue Rocks and Hillcats play against each other for the final time this season on Thursday, August 30 at Calvin Falwell Field. First pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m with right-hander Gerson Garabito (7-6, 3.31 ERA) starting for Wilmington while righty Zach Plesac (8-5, 4.04 ERA) starts for Lynchburg. Fans can listen to the game on 89.7 WGLS-FM.
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Vance Vizcaino turned in one of his best performances at the plate with the Blue Rocks and led the offense with three hits and three RBI. His three-run, bases-clearing triple in the second inning helped put the Blue Rocks up 3-1 at the time. It was his second, three-hit game as a Blue Rock and first game driving in three runs since July 4, 2017 when he was with Rookie Idaho Falls.
Ofreidy Gomez was strong again for the Blue Rocks and turned in his fourth straight quality start after he tossed six innings, allowed one run (earned) on 10 hits, walked one and struck out eight batters. Gomez has allowed just six earned runs over his last 26 innings of work and has now allowed 19 earned runs over his last 11 starts to post a solid 2.71 ERA.
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