CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Rodriguez Slam Sends Hillcats Over Salem

Published on May 31, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


Salem, VA - Lynchburg fell behind thee times Tuesday night in Salem, 2-0, 6-2, and 10-6, and each time came back to tie or take the lead. Geraldo Rodriguez delivered the game-winning blow in the top of the eighth inning with a two-out grand slam, that put the Hillcats up 12-10.

Salem had the bats going early with three hits in the bottom of the first. Reynaldo Rodriguez doubled in the first run of the game and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Red Sox

The Hillcats tied up the game in the top of the second. Keenan Wiley tripled home Geraldo Rodriguez and scored after an error with two outs allowed Simmons to reach first safely.

The runs kept coming for Salem in the bottom of the second. Matt Spring, Michael Almanzar, and Zach Gentile all singled to load the bases with nobody out. Derrik Gibson then lined a ball to the left-center gap, all three runs would come around to score and Gibson found himself at third after shortstop Andrelton Simmons bobbled the cut-off from the outfield. Gibson scored on a sacrifice fly and the Red Sox took a 6-2 lead.

It took a couple innings this time, but the Hillcats waged another comeback. A four-run fourth inning highlighted by RBI doubles for Simmons, Phil Gosselin, and Joey Terdoslavich tied the game at 6-6.

RHP Andy Russell entered the game in the fifth inning and ran into trouble immediately. Five straight hits including a three-run home run for Almanzar, piled on four more runs for the Red Sox. Lynchburg once again found themselves looking up at a four-run deficit.

The Hillcats failed to score in the sixth and seventh innings and a comeback looked bleak.

Then, in the eighth inning with two outs and runners at first and second, the Red Sox called RHP Anatanaer Batista into the game to face Adam Milligan. Milligan singled home Simmons from the second and the comeback was on. The next two batters walked, scoring another run making it 10-8, with Salem still leading.

Rodriguez came to the plate with the bases still loaded after back-to-back walks. He sent the second pitch he saw over the left field wall for a go ahead grand slam, his third home run of the season for the Hillcats. Lynchburg had erased their third deficit of the night, and took their first lead at 12-10.

RHP Andrew Wilson relieved Russell in the eighth inning. He tossed two scoreless frames, walking just one, on his way to his fourth save of the season.

Russell (1-0) earned his first win. He allowed four runs in three innings of work but sat down the final nine batters he faced. Anatanaer Batista (3-2) took the loss, after giving up the grand slam to Rodriguez in the eighth.

The Hillcats improved to 22-28 with the win and remain in third place in the Carolina League Northern Division. The win also snapped a season-long seven-game losing streak for the 'Cats against the Red Sox.

The series continues tomorrow night in Salem at 7:05 pm. RHP Dan Jurik takes the mound for Lynchburg against RHP Junichi Tazawa for Salem. The Hillcats On-Deck Show powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg goes on the air at 6:40 pm. Catch all the action on 105.5 KD Country and online at lynchburg-hillcats.com.

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Carolina League Stories from May 31, 2011


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