Hillcats Game Notes April 10, 2015, 7:05 p.m. vs. Potomac
Published on April 10, 2015 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (1-0) vs. POTOMAC NATIONALS (0-1)
Friday, April 10, 2015 -- 7:05 PM
Pfitzner Stadium
RHP Adam Plutko (0-0, --) vs. RHP Brian Rauh (0-0, --)
THE LIGHTS ARE OUT, AND EVERYONE IS HOME: Lynchburg held an 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, but closing out the victory became quite the adventure...RHP Robbie Aviles allowed a leadoff single and struck out consecutive batters to open the frame, so it was still 8-0 with only one out to go...Potomac's next six batters reached consecutively to make it an 8-4 game with the bases loaded, but as the tying run was coming to the plate, some of the lights beyond the left field fence went out...Following a 36-minute electrical delay to fix the lights, a fielding error on a Rafael Bautista ground ball made it 8-6 with the tying run on first...RHP Ben Heller struck out Wilmer Difo to end the drama there and earn the save...In total, the final inning lasted more than an hour after the two teams combined for 10 runs on seven hits, five walks and a hit batter in addition to the electrical delay...
I LIKED IT, EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE PART: Other than the bottom of the ninth, Lynchburg looked dominant in the season opener...RHP Dylan Baker struck out a career-high nine batters in only five innings of work and only allowed one baserunner the entire outing to earn the victory...Offensively, each Hillcat either scored or had an RBI...The first run came when DH Luigi Rodriguez scored on an infield single by SS Ivan Castillo in the fifth...One frame later, the Hillcats broke open a pitchers' duel with a three-spot that included an RBI triple by C Eric Haase as well as a solo homer by 3B Paul Hendrix...Leading 4-0, LF Mike Papi walked, and RF Clint Frazier and CF Bradley Zimmer singled to load the bases...1B Nellie Rodriguez doubled to left to drive in two...Luigi Rodriguez and 2B James Roberts capped of the scoring with a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly, respectively...
VS. POTOMAC: Potomac has not treated the Hillcats kindly in recent years...In addition to ending Lynchburg's playoff run each of the last two years, the Nationals went 12-7 against the Hillcats in the regular season in 2014...That included two three-game sweeps, once in each ballpark...Meanwhile, the Hillcats have not swept Potomac in Pfitzner Stadium since 2011...
WELCOME TO THE TRIBE! Lynchburg's 20th anniversary season of becoming the Hillcats will also mark its first as the Advanced-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians...Cleveland becomes the 11th Major League Baseball team to place an affiliate in Lynchburg, as City Stadium has previously been the host to affiliates of the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves...Lynchburg's longest partnership lasted with the Pirates when Pittsburgh kept its affiliate in Lynchburg for 15 seasons from 1995 to 2009...
TRIBE CONNECTIONS: Lynchburg may be new to the Cleveland organization, but plenty of Hillcats have strong connections with members of the parent club...RHP Justin Brantley tossed two scoreless innings of relief last night and is the cousin of Indians outfielder Michael Brantley, who was an MLB All-Star and won a Silver Slugger Award last season...RHP Adam Plutko might want to use a current Indian that he knows as inspiration today...Plutko and RHP Trevor Bauer were college teammates at UCLA for one season...Last night, Bauer did not allow a hit in six innings against the Houston Astros while striking out a career-high 11...While not a current Indian, Manny Ramirez shares something in common with Hillcats 1B Nellie Rodriguez as they both attended George Washington High School in New York City..
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