Hillcats Roll On, Pull Off Sweep of Nationals 

Lynchburg, Virginia – The Lynchburg Hillcats (6-0) managed a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the seventh inning to remain undefeated and complete a sweep of the Fredericksburg Nationals (0-6).

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Nationals took a big lead in the top of the first. Fredericksburg center fielder Braian Fernandez knocked a single with Lenny Torres on the mound to lead off the frame, but was picked off trying to steal second by Hillcats’ catcher Andres Melendez to Angel Martinez at short. However, this did not curtail the FredNats who loaded to bases with a hit by a pitch and two walks. Jake Randa smoked a double to left field that brought all three runners home to put the Nats up 3-0 after just a half inning of play.
• Torres pitched one more inning for the Hillcats in his first minor league game since 2018, fanning two batters and holding the FreNats scoreless in the top of the second.
• The Hillcats scored their first run in the bottom of the second when Christian Cairo roped a double up the middle that brought home Johnathan Rodriguez. Lynchburg added another run in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Micah Pries that cut the Nationals lead to just one.
• Hillcats reliever Zach Hart blanked the Nationals for three innings, giving Lynchburg the chance to tie the game up in the bottom of the fifth. Now facing new Fredericksburg hurler Amos Willingham, the ‘Cats took advantage of an error at second base that moved Julian Escobedo to first. Micah Pries finished the job yet again this time smacking a single to left field that scored Escobedo and knotted the game up at three each.
• It was a quick response from Fredericksburg, who tallied in the top of the sixth. Trey Benton took over for Zach Hart on the mound and immediately found himself in a pickle with a runner reaching because of a throwing error from Angel Martinez at short. After getting two outs, Benton and the ‘Cats caught an unlucky break when two errant pitches scored the go-ahead run for the Nationals. Andrew Misiazek (1-0) replaced Benton to get the final out of the frame, but the 'Cats entered the final innings of the game trailing for the first time all series.
• The Nationals lead did not last long, with the Hillcats’ bats heating up in the bottom of the seventh. The inning started with a perfectly placed triple to the right field corner from Angel Martinez, followed by Fredericksubrg intentionally walking Jhonkensy Noel. Malvin Pena retired two batters in a row, but a throwing error to third drove both Martinez and Noel home and gave the Hillcats their first lead of the day.
• Still in the seventh and with Yanier Diaz at first due to the error, Jonathan Rodriguez blasted a two-run shot to center that stretched the Hillcats lead to 7-4.
• Lynchburg added another run in the bottom of the eighth thanks to an RBI from Juilan Escobedo, while Misiazek and Jerson Ramirez protected the lead on the mound to seal the Hillcats 8-4 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Catcher Andres Melendez was responsible for throwing three runners out on the base paths today for the Hillcats.
• The Hillcats have racked up nine home runs in the early season, including at least one in every game.

WHO'S NEXT

The Hillcats have Monday off, then head to Salem Tuesday for a six game series with the Red Sox.