Hillcats Rally Falls Short in Salem

Salem, Virginia – Down 9-0 after six innings of play the Lynchburg Hillcats (41-39) launched a comeback bid with a seven-run seventh frame, but the Salem Red Sox (48-33) held the Hillcats off just enough to secure a 9-7 game three victory at Haley Toyota Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Hillcats starter Jaime Arias held the Red Sox scoreless in the first two innings, but Salem got on the board in the bottom of the third when Nick Yorke smashed a two-run shot over the left-field wall.
• Arias tossed two more shutout innings in the fourth and the fifth, however Salem opened up the game in the bottom of the sixth. Arias immediately struck out Antoni Flores, but Gilberto Jimenez followed with a base-hit. With one on, Ceddane Rafaela smashed his seventh home run on the year to put Salem up 4-0.
• After Nick Decker was hit with a pitch and Nick Northcut drew a free pass the Hillcats made a pitching change, sending out reliever Daritzon Feliz. Alex Erro quickly smashed a triple to right field, scoring both Decker and Northcut. The Red Sox continued the onslaught when Alan Marrero smacked a double to left, bringing home Erro.
• Marrero himself scored on two wild pitches from Feliz and Jeccorah Arnold blasted a solo-shot immediately after to make it 9-0 Salem. Feliz retired Jimenez and Rafaela to end the frame, but the Hillcats found themselves in a nine-run hole.
• Lynchburg responded right away in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Miguel Jerez kicked things off when he drew a one out walk. Johnathan Rodriguez moved Jerez to third with a two-bagger to left and Jerez came home with Micael Ramirez sliced a single to center. After an error at first from Nick Northcut that allowed Ramirez to advance, Salem put bullpen arm Ryan Fernandez on the mound. The ‘Cats pounced, with a string of RBI singles from Korey Holland and Andres Melendez to make it a 9-3 Red Sox.
• With two on Yordys Valdes drew a walk for the Hillcats, loading the bases ahead of Petey Halpin’s at bat. The 19-year-old ripped a triple to right-center that scored all three-runs to cut the Salem lead to just three.
• Not done yet, Lynchburg added another run when Angel Martinez drove Halpin home with a single up the middle. Fernandez finally stopped the bleeding when he retired Jerez to keep Salem with a narrow 9-7 lead after the top of the seventh.
• Singles from Melendez, Rodriguez, and Ramirez loaded the bases with one out for the Hillcats in the top of the eighth, putting the go-ahead run on the base-paths for Lynchburg. Fernandez forced Yordys Valdes into a double play, stranding all three runners and holding the score at 9-7 Salem.
• Cade Smith pitched two innings of one-hit baseball for the Hillcats in the seventh and eighth, but Lynchburg could not muster up any more offense to lose 9-7 to the Salem Red Sox.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Hillcats look to even the series at two Friday night in game four with Lenny Torres on the mound. Game time is set for 7:05pm from Salem Memorial Ballpark.