Hillcats Lose in Extras to Salem
July 2, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
The Lynchburg Hillcats dropped an extra-inning affair to the Salem Red Sox, 5-2, on Wednesday evening.
After a slow build through the first nine innings, Salem erupted in extra innings to put a four-spot on the board.
The starting pitchers were lights out over the course of their roughly five innings of work. Salem was led by Devin Futrell who finished four innings of two hit baseball without allowing a run. Lynchburg was carried by Braylon Doughty, who racked up seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jeffrey Mercedes would break the scoreless tie with a solo blast. His drive launched over the right field wall to give Lynchburg their first run of the series.
The lead would not last long as Salem would respond in the top of the seventh. Fraymi De Leon would drive a run home with a sacrifice fly to center, evening things at one.
Each team would go quietly into extra innings where tensions heated up in the tenth. After a triple from Yohander Linarez scored two to give the Red Sox the lead, a two-run home run from Justin Gonzales left a statement on the night.
However, in the process of his celebration, his bat flipped launched above the skybox level of the Bank of the James Stadium. When it landed, it fell right next to the catcher, Bennett Thompson, who shrugged it off. Several Hillcats reached the top step of the dugout with some words as Lynchburg trailed 5-1.
The Hillcats would strike for one in the bottom of the tenth inning as Nick Mitchell blooped a double into left field to score Jose Pirela. That would be as close as they would get despite bringing the tying run to the plate later in the inning.
Lynchburg and Salem will square off again at Bank of the James Stadium on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m.
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