Jerez Walks Off Red Sox

Lynchburg, Virginia – The Lynchburg Hillcats (54-56) and the Salem Red Sox (67-43) traded blows throughout the game, with Lynchburg getting the final punch thanks to a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning from Miguel Jerez to give the Hillcats a 5-4 victory on Wednesday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Aaron Davenport made his second straight stellar start with the Hillcats, tossing three scoreless innings and giving up just one hit.
• Korey Holland made a statement with Lynchburg’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the third, smashing a two-run bomb over the right field wall with Salem starter Bradley Blaylock on the mound.
• Lynchburg made a pitching change in the top of the fourth, sending out reliever Zach Hart. After Hart fanned the first batter he faced, Gilberto Jimenez earned a free pass. Nick Decker followed by smoking a double to right that scored Jimenez. Decker himself came home when Matthew Lugo sliced a single to left to tie the game at two apiece.
• Jorge Burgos took the first pitch that he saw in the bottom of the fourth out of the ballpark to give Lynchburg its lead right back.
• Neither team tallied in the fifth, but the Red Sox knotted the game up a three off of no hits in the sixth. Tyler McDonough drew a leadoff walk, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error from Hillcats catcher Andres Melendez. A sacrifice fly from Nick Decker ultimately drove McDonough home to put Salem right back in the game.
• The Hillcats went up again in the next frame with Salem reliever Jacinto Arredondo now pitching. Alexfri Planez blasted a triple, scoring on a balk to make it 4-3 Lynchburg.
• Salem’s Nick Northcut went yard right way to tie the game at four in the seventh inning off ‘Cats hurler Serafino Brito.
• Brito and Cade Smith ended the night for the Hillcats on the mound by fanning seven straight Red Sox batters to hold the tie heading into the bottom of the ninth.
• With the count at 2-1, Miguel Jerez destroyed a moonshot over the wall in left field to hand Lynchburg the walk-off victory and even the series with Salem at one.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Hillcats take on Salem Thursday night at Bank of the James Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30pm.