Hillcats Dominate Red Sox, Win Seventh Straight

Lynchburg, Virginia – The Lynchburg Hillcats (7-0) toppled the Salem Red Sox (3-4) on the road to remain one of just three undefeated teams in Minor League Baseball.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hillcats knocked in a run right away off Red Sox starter Jeremy Wu-Yelland (1-0). Julian Escobedo and Jhonkensy Noel hit back to back singles, with Escobedo coming home thanks to a sacrifice fly from Micah Pries. The ‘Cats outfielder’s seventh RBI gave Lynchburg a 1-0 lead after a half inning.
• Xzavion Curry (1-0) got his second start on the mound with the Hillcats, putting together the longest outing of any Lynchburg pitcher this year. Curry pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, walking two, and striking out seven to hold the Hillcats lead.
• Even the Hillcats struggled to score for a couple of innings, with Wu-Yelland and Salem reliever Aaron Perry blanking Lynchburg until the top of the fifth.
• It was then the ‘Cats started to find their stride piling on three runs against the Red Sox reliever, Perry. Alexfri Planez zipped a triple to center field to start the frame, but the next two batters struck out leaving the Hillcats at risk of leaving an insurance run 90-feet away. Mr. Clutch came out again when Jhonkensy Noel earned his 12th RBI of the year, pushing Planez home and putting the Hillcats up two. Noel himself moved along on a single from Pries. The pair scored when Yainer Diaz sliced a single up the middle stretching the Hillcats lead to 4-0.
• In the top of the sixth, Christian Cairo, Andres Melendez and Angel Martinez all doubled to push in two more runs for the Hillcats, making the score 6-0 Lynchburg.
• Against new Red Sox hurler Merfy Andrew the Hillcats kept pouring on the doubles. Lynchburg hammered five more extra-base hits to tack on four more runs to it’s already substantial lead.
• Eric Mock tossed four solid innings for the Hillcats, earning the save on the mound. The ‘Cats reliever gave up just three hits and one run off a solo shot from Salem first-baseman Joe Davis in the top of the ninth. Mock also struck out three in the Hillcats convincing 10-1 victory over the Salem Red Sox.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Every Hillcats player earned a hit in the victory.
• Lynchburg smashed nine extra-base hits.
• The other undefeated teams in Minor League Baseball all have connections to the Hillcats. The Down East Wood Ducks are 7-0 and are also in the Carolina League. The Cleveland Indians Double-A affiliate, the Akron Rubberducks, are 6-0.

WHO'S NEXT

The Hillcats play game two against the Red Sox Wednesday at 7:05pm from Handy Toyota Field.