CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg sweeps double dip to stay tied a top the Northern Division

Published on May 7, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


Lynchburg swept Myrtle Beach in both ends of a doubleheader on Thursday night at City Stadium with a pair of late-inning rallies. The Hillcats came from two runs down in extra innings in game one and rallied from three runs down in the their final plate appearance in game two.

The Pelicans started the scoring in game one with three runs in the top of the third inning. Robert Marcial plated the first run with an RBI bunt single.

The Hillcats responded immediately with a three run-frame of their own in the bottom of the inning. Jordy Mercer drove home the first run of the game with an RBI base hit. Two more runs came across in the inning thanks to a two-run single to tie the contest at three.

Right after the third inning ended the rain started to fall at City Stadium and play was suspended on Wednesday night.

Action resumed on Thursday night at 6:05 p.m. in the top of the fourth inning. The score stayed tied through seven innings of play, so extra innings were needed. Both games last night were scheduled as seven inning contests.

In the top of the eighth inning Myrtle Beach scored two runs to take a 5-3 lead. Freddie Freeman doubled home the go-ahead run to give the Birds the lead.

Lynchburg would come back again in the bottom of the eighth with three runs to earn their second walk-off win of the season. After the first out in the inning was recorded, three straight walks were issued by Pelicans reliever Tyler Wilson to load the bases. After a pitching change, Alex Presley drove-in a run on a fielder's choice ground out that pulled the Cats within one and left them down to their final out.

Jose De Los Santos was the next batter and he singled home Maiko Loyola to tie the game at five a piece. Jordy Mercer followed that up with the game-winning RBI single that gave the Green & Gold a 6-5 walk-off victory.

The win went to right-hander R.J. Rodriguez (2-0) for Lynchburg (16-10) and the loss and loss went to Tyler Wilson (0-1) for Myrtle Beach (9-17).

In game two the Pelicans would start the scoring again with a run in the top of the first inning. Freddie Freeman singled home Donell Linares to give the Birds a 1-0 edge. The Hillcats tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a run when Jose De Los Santos scored to even the game at one.

Myrtle Beach retook the lead in the second with an RBI double by Chad Lundahl doubled home Benji Johnson. Two more runs came across for the visitors when Michael Fisher doubled home a pair to make it 4-1 Myrtle Beach.

Lynchburg would cut the lead to two in the bottom of the fifth. Jose De Los Santos tripled with one out and was driven home on the RBI single by Jordy Mercer.

In the sixth inning, the first four Hillcats reached on four straight singles Lynchburg erased a two-run deficit. Kent Sakamoto singled home two runs to tie the game and chase from starter Jeff Locke from the game. After a walk was issued to Alex Presley, Jose De Los Santos gave the Cats 5-4 lead with an RBI sacrifice fly.

That lead would hold up thanks to Michael Dubee, who nailed down the save in his first opportunity for the Green & Gold. The win went to Michael Colla (1-0) for Lynchburg (17-10) and the loss went to starter Jeff Locke (1-2) for Myrtle Beach (9-18).

On Friday night the Hillcats play the first of six games in a row on the road at Salem. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. and you can catch all the live action beginning at 6:40 p.m. on FM 105.5 KD Country and 96.9 FM in Roanoke.

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Carolina League Stories from May 7, 2009


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