Cats split DH
June 6, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
Lynchburg and Wilmington split a pair of pitchers' duels on Saturday night, in the first of consecutive doubleheaders at Frawley Stadium. The Hillcats and Blue Rocks will conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader on Sunday with game one scheduled for a 1:35 p.m. start.
The Hillcats edged Wilmington 1-0 in the first game of the doubleheader. Pedro Alvarez blasted a solo home run - his 10th homer of the season- over the center-field wall in the top of the fourth to put Lynchburg in front 1-0. Alvarez went 2-for-3 in the 7-inning contest, accounting for two of the three Hillcat hits.
The trio of starter Ronald Uviedo and relievers Michael Dubee and R. J. Rodriguez made the one-run lead stand by shutting down Wilmington's offense in the late innings. Uviedo pitched five scoreless innings before giving way to Dubee in the bottom of the sixth. Dubee worked a scoreless frame before Rodriguez slammed the door in the seventh.
With the win, Uviedo improved to 3-3 in 2009. Dubee was credited with his fourth hold and Rodriguez picked up his 11th save. Alex Caldera (1-3) took the loss for Wilmington, despite giving up just three hits and one earned run in six innings of work.
Wilmington answered with a 1-0 victory in the nightcap to salvage a split. Game two featured outstanding pitching and very little offense. Lynchburg starter Chi-Hung Cheng tossed five scoreless innings and allowed just one hit to the Blue Rocks. Cheng has now pitched 15 and two-thirds consecutive scoreless innings - a streak that spans his last three starts.
Blue Rocks starter Danny Duffy was just as effective, allowing just two hits in six scoreless innings.
The Hillcats wasted two scoring opportunities early in the game. After Matt Hague struck out leading off the top of the second, Duffy issued consecutive walks to Miles Durham and Jared Keel. Duffy retired Kent Sakamoto on a pop out before walking Alex Presley to load the bases. Lynchburg's threat was thwarted when Joel Collins grounded out to end the frame.
Lynchburg also squandered a chance to take the early lead in the third. Jose De Los Santos led off the inning with a single. With one out and Alvarez at the plate, De Los Santos swiped second base. After Alvarez struck out, De Los Santos stole third with Hague at the plate. But Duffy induced an inning-ending groundout from Hague to keep the game scoreless.
Both teams received strong performances from their bullpens. Lynchburg reliever Dustin Molleken pitched three perfect innings after replacing Cheng in the bottom of the sixth. Molleken was matched by Wilmington's Brandon Sisk and Juan Abreu , who combined to work three perfect frames.
The stalemate finally ended in the bottom of the ninth. Hillcats reliever Chris Cullen allowed a leadoff single to Derrick Robinson and issued a walk to Johnny Giavotella. Mike Moustakas hit into a 6-4 force out that advanced Robinson to third and erased Giavotella at second. After Moustakas stole second, Clint Robinson reached on a fielder's choice, which enabled Derrick Robinson to race home with the winning run.
Abreu (2-1) earned the win for Wilmington while Cullen (3-1) was charged with the loss.
As a result of the spilt, Lynchburg owns a 36-18 record while Wilmington is now 28-26. The Hillcats remain in first place in the Carolina League's Northern Division, five games ahead of second-place Potomac, which spilt a doubleheader with Myrtle Beach Saturday, and eight games in front of the third-place Blue Rocks.
Lynchburg and Wilmington square off in doubleheader on Sunday, with game one slated for a 1:35 p.m. start.
Tune in to FM 105.5 KD Country, 96.9 FM Roanoke or online at www.kdcountry.com for all the live action beginning at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.
Carolina League Stories from June 6, 2009
- Teams Exchange One-Run Wins - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Cats split DH - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Birds take game one while Nats take the night cap - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- P-Nats and P-Cans Split Saturday Double Dip - Potomac Nationals
- Dash Down K-Tribe, Run Win Streak to Seven - Winston-Salem Dash
- Kinston Falls 7-6 at Winston-Salem.... - Kinston Indians
- Keys snap five-game losing streak - Frederick Keys
- Keys Roll Past Sox 8-3 - Salem Red Sox
- Indians Notes for June 6 - Kinston Indians
- Hillcats Game Notes for June 6 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- P-Nats Send Lyons to DL, Recall Engles - Potomac Nationals
- Heroic Efforts from Many Carry Sox to Epic Sweep of Keys - Salem Red Sox
- Salem Sweeps Double-Header - Frederick Keys
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