Mudcats Drop Series Finale 7-5 to Hillcats

ZEBULON, N.C. - Weston Wilson went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs and two RBI, but the Mudcats lost another seesaw game with the Hillcats while falling 7-5 in Monday's series finale at Five County Stadium. 

The Hillcats (15-10, 44-48) led first and last in Monday's back-and-forth battle with the Mudcats (13-11, 47-47). Carolina led in the third, sixth and seventh innings, but failed to hold on while losing for the second straight game and third time overall in the four game set. Lynchburg won the series three games to one and dropped Carolina to 3.0 games back of first in the Southern Division second half standings.
Jodd Carter scored the game's first run after coming across on a two-out RBI single from Gavin Collins in the first. The Mudcats then tied it when Nathan Rodriguez was hit by a pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly hit by Joangtel Segovia in the second.
Wilson then broke the 1-1 tie with a two-run home run to right while giving Carolina its first lead of the game. The home run was Wilson's team leading 11th of the season and his first of three hits in the game.
Carolina, thanks to Wilson's homer, led 3-1 into the fifth, but the Hillcats came back with two runs in the fifth to tie the game again at 3-3 after scoring twice off reliever Nathan Kirby. 
Kirby worked originally entered the game in the fourth and worked through the seventh while pitching through four full innings in relief of starter Devin Williams and reliever Alec Crawford. Kirby allowed three runs on six hits and struck out three. Williams started and allowed a run on one hit over two and 2/3 innings. He also struck out three and walked one. Crawford, in what was his first appearances since mid-June, retired his only batter faced while finishing the third.
The seesaw game continued to go back and forth as Carolina scored a run in the sixth when Ryan Aguilar came in on a double play hit into by Devin Hairston. Carolina led 4-3 after Aguilar's run, but the Hillcats came back in the seventh to tie the game on a home run from Li-Jen Chu. Wilson then started the seventh with a double before later scoring on a wild pitch as the Mudcats moved out in front again at 5-4.
Wilson's run in the seventh turned out to be Carolina's last run of the game as the Hillcats rallied for three runs in the eighth off Alec Kenilvort while taking the series finale 7-5. 
Kenilvort (BS, 5)(2-3, 4.56) had just replaced Kirby when he entered the game for the eighth. He ended up allowed three runs on three hits in the eighth while allowing the Hillcats to take the late lead. Gavin Collins and Chu both had run scoring hits in the Lynchburg eighth and both finished with two RBI in the game.
Chu led the way for the Hillcats as he went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Mitch Longo went 2-for-5 with a run, Collins drove in two and was 2-for-4 and both Emmaneul Tapia and Dillon Persinger both had a hit and drove in one apiece.
Reliever Leandro Linares (2-0, 6.75) picked up the win for the Hillcats after pitching through and inning and 2/3 scoreless between the seventh and eighth. Dalbert Siri (S, 6) worked the ninth and pitched around a leadoff single while earning the save.
Sam Hentges started and worked through four innings with three runs (two earned) allowed on five hits. He also struck out six and walked one. Matt Esparza followed in the fifth and allowed a run on two hits and four walks over two plus innings. Jared Robinson also pitched and faced four while retiring just one batter over a 1/3 of an inning.
The Mudcats are off on Tuesday, but will continue their seven game home stand on Wednesday nigth with game one of a three game series versus the Winston-Salem Dash. Wednesday's Dollar Dog game will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, the Big Dawg 98.5 FM and via TuneIn Radio at carolinamudcats.com. It will also be available via live streaming video at MiLB.tv. Tickets are available by visiting the Five County Stadium front office, by calling (919) 269-CATS (2287) and by visiting www.carolinamudcats.com/tickets.
# # #