Offense held in check, Hillcats edged 2-1 by P-Nats Wednesday

Lynchburg, Va. - Despite 11 hits and 14 base runners in the ballgame, the Lynchburg Hillcats struggled to capitalize, falling 2-1 to the Potomac Nationals on Wednesday night at City Stadium.

The Hillcats (41-46, 12-8) stranded nine men on base, and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position to drop their second straight to Potomac (43-44, 6-14).
The P-Nats grabbed a pair of runs in the middle innings against Sam Hentges (Loss, 5-6). A ground ball double play, off the bat of Jack Sundberg, was used to plate the first run in the fifth, with Edwin Lora, who doubled to lead off the frame, coming across to score. The Hillcats were able to minimize damage, as they gunned down Ian Sagdal at the plate to end the inning.
In the sixth, Aldrem Corredor led off with a walk, and later in the inning, Jakson Reetz bounced a single up the middle, to plate Corredor, and give Potomac a 2-0 lead. Corredor reached base in all five plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with three walks.
Despite striking out seven batters in his first three innings of work, Hentges labored in the middle innings, exiting after 5.2 innings. He gave up two runs on ten hits.
Meanwhile Kyle Johnston (Win, 1-0) held the Hillcats scoreless in his Advanced-A debut. The right-hander scattered seven hits over six innings, walking two and striking out three to pick up the win.
The Hillcats got a run back in the eighth inning. Conner Capel singled up the middle with one away, and after a walk and a wild pitch advanced him to third, he came into score on a Trenton Brooks sacrifice fly. Brooks was one of three Hillcats with multi-hit games, joining Jodd Carer and Jorma Rodriguez.
Rodriguez tried to ignite a rally in the ninth, singling to right-center with one out, but James Bourque (Save, 5) bounced back by picking up a strikeout and a groundout to close out the game for the second straight night.
The series and home stand concludes on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.,when left-hander Tanner Tully (3-8, 4.73) takes the ball for Lynchburg, opposite Potomac righty Joan Baez (3-8, 4.86).
Max Gun and Matt Present will be on the air with the Hillcats pregame show at 6:20 p.m. on TuneIn Radio and Radio434.
It will be Thursday Thursday at City Stadium, featuring $2 Miller Lite and Yuengling drafts.
For tickets and more information visit lynchburg-hillcats.com, the City Stadium box office, or call 434-528-1144.