Danish tosses six no-hit innings in tough loss

LYNCHBURG, Va. (Aug. 9, 2014) - Tyler Danish did not permit a hit over six scintillating innings, but the Lynchburg Hillcats ended the no-hit bid and seized the lead for good in the seventh inning of their 4-1 win over Winston-Salem on Saturday night.

Danish continued his dominant stretch with the best outing of his professional career. He contended with just three base runners due to a pair of walks and an error. In the process, the 19-year-old extended his scoreless streak to 22 innings, a surge that dates back to July 23.

Over his last eight starts, Danish boasts a 0.81 earned run average (four earned runs in 44.2 innings pitched). In 21 starts between Low-A Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, Danish boasts a 1.92 ERA, which is seventh-lowest among qualifiers in full-season Minor League Baseball.

Winston-Salem (24-25, 54-64) turned to the bullpen in the seventh inning because Danish has been on a six-inning cap over the last month. Jose Bautista did record a pair of outs before giving up a hit, but a one-out walk and a two-out hit by pitch set the table for Emerson Landoni.

Landoni shot a two-run double down the right field line to give the Hillcats a 2-1 lead. It also ended the Dash's second-longest no-hit bid of the season. Winston-Salem has not posted a no-hitter since June 19, 2009, while the club was threatening for its first nine-inning no-no since April 15, 2001.

Lynchburg (25-23, 59-59) would add another two tallies in the eighth against Euclides Leyer to put the contest out of reach. As a result, the Dash have dropped five consecutive games, which is one shy of their longest skid of the season.

Newcomer Adam Engel, who made his High-A debut on Saturday, delivered the Dash's lone run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. This was the only blemish for starter Daniel Watts, who retired the first 11 he faced.

The bullpen trio of Nate Hyatt (4-3), Benino Pruneda and Alex Wilson earned a win, hold and save, respectively, by combining for four scoreless frames out of the Hillcats' bullpen. Wilson has saved each of the first two games of this set.

Winston-Salem will attempt to salvage a game on this road trip on Sunday night at 6:05. Reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week J.B. Wendelken (6-9, 4.90 ERA) toes the rubber for the Dash, while fellow righty Jarett Miller (8-7, 3.93 ERA) goes for the home team. Pregame coverage begins at 5:50 on wsdash.com/broadcast.

The Dash return home on Tuesday for a quick three-game homestand against these Hillcats. The opener of the series, a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday, features a postgame fireworks show and $1 hot dogs! For tickets, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.