Plutko Shines But Hillcats Drop Mudcats, 2-1

Lynchburg, Va. - Adam Plutko watched his strong outing foiled by late-inning heroics from the Lynchburg Hillcats on Thursday night at Calvin Falwell Field. Justin Bloxom delivered a walk-off double to beat the Carolina Mudcats 2-1. The win snapped a four-game losing skid against the Mudcats (17-11, 46-49) for the Hillcats (12-15, 46-51).

Plutko allowed just four base runners, all on hits, across six shutout innings. He added five more strikeouts to bring his season total to 111.

Cody Fassold (1-0) got the win in his debut with Lynchburg by tossing a scoreless ninth. He allowed a hit and struck out two. Benny Suarez (1-3) shouldered the loss after allowing a run on two hits. He pitched one inning and faced two batters in the ninth.

Kevin Ahrens began the pivotal frame by just missing a home run off the high wall in the left field corner. The designated hitter settled for a double and was lifted for pinch runner David Nick. Bloxom smashed a double just beyond the grasp of Todd Hankins in the left-center gap to plate the game winner.

The Mudcats grabbed the lead in the second inning when James Roberts singled home Alex Monsalve from second base. Roberts finished the night with three hits, including a double.

Lynchburg tied the score in the seventh when Ahrens reached second on a two-base throwing error by Yandy Diaz. After a groundout by Bloxom advanced Ahrens to third, Emerson Landoni brought him home on a liner to center against Ben Heller.

The Mudcats will try for the series win in Lynchburg on Friday night. First pitch against the Hillcats is set for 7:05 p.m. at Calvin Falwell Field. Carolina returns home to host the Wilmington Blue Rocks for the final time in a three-game series July 22-24. Tickets and other information are available by calling the box office at (919) 269-2287 or by logging on to carolinamudcats.com.