Espinosa's homer sinks Hillcats
Published on May 30, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
Potomac scored three runs in the sixth and seventh inning en route to defeating Lynchburg 4-2 at City Stadium Saturday night. The Hillcats and P-Nats will meet in the rubber match of the weekend series on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m.
The Hillcats seized the early lead in the first. Jose De Los Santos led off the game with a single and promptly stole second base. De Los Santos advanced to third on Jordy Mercer's fly out to right field and scored on Pedro Alvarez' RBI single to put Lynchburg in front 1-0.
Neither team scored for the next three innings as Potomac's Will Atwood and Lynchburg's Ronald Uviedo took turns baffling opposing batters.
Potomac broke through in the top of the fifth. Michael Burgess doubled leading off the inning. Sean Rooney followed with an RBI double that plated Burgess and evened the score at 1-1.
After Boomer Whiting singled to lead off the top of the sixth, Danny Espinosa belted a two-run home run off Uviedo to give Potomac its first lead of the series at 3-1.
The Hillcats answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. Alvarez ripped a leadoff double and advanced to third on Matt Hague's groundout to second base. Alvarez scored on an RBI groundout by Miles Durham, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Potomac played small ball in the seventh to extend its lead. Dan Nelson drew a leadoff walk from Lynchburg reliever Dustin Molleken. After Whiting and Espinosa reached on consecutive infield singles, Molleken fanned Francisco Plasencia. But Chris Marrero delivered a sacrifice fly that enabled Nelson to race home with an insurance run.
The P-Nats bullpen took over in the final three innings. Adam Carr and Atahualpa Severino combined to toss three scoreless frames, allowing just one Lynchburg hit.
Atwood (1-4) held the Hillcats to five hits and two runs in six innings and earned the victory. Uviedo (2-3) was charged with the loss. All three of Uviedo's losses have come against Potomac. Carr was credited with his first hold of the season and Severino picked up his seventh save.
With the win, Potomac improved to 26-20. Lynchburg fell to 31-17. The Hillcats remain in first place in the Carolina League's Northern Division and hold a four-game lead over second-place Potomac.
Lynchburg and Potomac will square off in the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at City Stadium at 2:05 p.m.
Tune in to FM 105.5, 96.9 FM Roanoke or online at www.kdcountry.com for all the live action beginning at 1:40 p.m.
Carolina League Stories from May 30, 2009
- Espinosa's homer sinks Hillcats - Hill City Howlers
- Rocks Score Seven in the First to Beat the Pelicans - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Dash Down K-Tribe, Move Back Into First Place - Winston-Salem Dash
- Jeff Locke lasts just two-thirds of an inning in losing effort - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash Downs Kinston 8-3 - Kinston Indians
- Atwood Shines in First Carolina League Victory - Potomac Nationals
- Sloppy Defense Spoils Kelly's Salem Debut - Salem RidgeYaks
- Offense Breaks Through In Salem - Frederick Keys
- Game Notes - 5/30 - Hill City Howlers
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