Lynchburg Scores Three Unearned Runs in Comeback Win
Published on June 10, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
Lynchburg scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to earn 7-6 comeback victory over Frederick at City Stadium Wednesday night. The Hillcats and Keys will meet in the series finale Thursday night at City Stadium. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
The two teams appeared destined for a pitchers' duel in the early innings of Wednesday's game, with Cats starter Matt McSwain and Keys starter Kenny Moreland each tossing four scoreless innings.
The Keys drew first blood in the top of the fifth. McSwain retired Bobby Stevens before giving up a single to Wally Crancer. Crancer attempted to steal second, but was thrown out by Kris Watts. Billy Killian and David Cash followed with consecutive singles and Killian reached third on an error by Jared Keel. Matt Angle drove in Killian and Cash with a two-run double that gave Frederick a 2-0 advantage.
The Hillcats answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Miles Durham socked a solo home run off Moreland - who had tossed 4 and 1/3 hitless innings at that point - to put Lynchburg on the board. Watts followed with a double and Keel drew a walk from Moreland.
The Keys committed their first error of the night when Pedro Florimon fielded a Kent Sakamoto grounder and delivered an errant throw in an effort to erase Keel at second. Watts scored on the play and Chris Salberg replaced Moreland. Salberg uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Keel and Sakamoto to advance. Alex Presley's infield single drove in Keel and gave the Cats a 3-2 lead.
Lynchburg added to its lead in the seventh. Keel drew a one-out walk from Andy Barb and advanced to second on Sakamoto's single. Presley hit a grounder to first, which Robbie Widlansky threw into past Florimon in an attempt to retire Sakamoto. Widlansky's error enabled Keel to score and Sakamoto to reach third. Jose De Los Santos knocked in Sakamoto with a sacrifice fly, extending the Cats lead to 5-2.
Frederick refused to go away quietly. Jedidiah Stephen hit a leadoff single off Lynchburg reliever Harrison Bishop to begin the top of the eighth. Widlansky smacked a double to left field, which scored Stephen. Billy Rowell followed with an RBI double scoring Widlansky. Rowell advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Stevens.
Moments later, Rowell scored the tying run on an RBI double by Crancer. Crancer scored later in the frame on an RBI single by Matt Angle, which gave Frederick a 6-5 edge.
The Cardiac Cats answered in the bottom of the eighth. Pedro Alvarez drew a leadoff walk from Keys reliever Brett Bordes. Matt Hague drove in Alvarez with an RBI double in the right field corner. After Bordes was lifted for Brian Parker, Hague advanced to third on a passed ball and later scored the winning run on a fielding error by Stevens, the third Frederick error of the night. Three of Lynchburg's seven runs were unearned, as the Hillcats won despite being out-hit 16-5 by the Keys.
R. J. Rodriguez (4-1) earned the win for Lynchburg. Bordes (2-4) took the loss for Frederick. With the win, the Hillcats improved to 38-20 while Frederick fell to 27-32.
Lynchburg remains in first place in the Carolina League's Northern Division, five games ahead of second-place Potomac, which lost to Winston-Salem Wednesday night.
Lynchburg and Frederick square off in the series finale at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, as the Cats attempt to earn their second sweep of the Keys in the past week.
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 6:40 p.m. Thursday.
Carolina League Stories from June 10, 2009
- Lynchburg Scores Three Unearned Runs in Comeback Win - Hill City Howlers
- Blue Rocks Set Rock With Fourth Straight Shutout - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Late Lead Lost for Second Straight Night - Frederick Keys
- Pelicans Offense Goes Quiet in Loss - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Ktribe Beats Myrtle Beach 4-1 - Kinston Indians
- Dash Drop Nats in Rain-Shortened Affair - Potomac Nationals
- Paiml Does It All in Dash Victory Over Potomac - Winston-Salem Dash
- Sox Lose Fifth in a Row to Fall Ten Games Below .500 - Salem RidgeYaks
- K-Tribe Homestand Begins This Friday - Kinston Indians
- Tribe Talk - Kinston Indians
- Hillcats vs. Keys Tonight - Hill City Howlers
- KRAFT Singles Teams Up with Minor League Baseball - Potomac Nationals
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