Hillcats Snap Losing Streak, Dominate Red Sox 

Lynchburg, Virginia – Three Lynchburg Hillcats hurlers (16-12) combined to hold the Salem Red Sox (15-14) to five hits as the Hillcats’ cruised to a 5-1 victory on Saturday night at Bank of the James Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hillcats took the lead in the bottom of the first against Salem starter Bradley Blalock (0-1). Christian Cairo smoked a lead-off double to left center field, followed by a Jhonkeny Noel single. Blalock settled in to retire Will Bartlett on a pop up to second, but Cairo moved to third on the play putting the go ahead run 90-feet away. Hillcats’ catcher Yanier Diaz hit into a fielder’s choice, but the force out gave Cairo enough time to race home for the game’s first score. With two outs Gabriel Rodriguez hit a routine grounder to Matthew Lugo at short, but an errant throw allowed Diaz to move to third. New roster addition Hosea Nelson introduced himself to Lynchburg in a big way on the next play, smacking a two-out double to left, scoring Diaz in his first RBI with the team. The extra-base hit put the Hillcats up 2-0 heading into the second frame.
• The Hillcats added another score in the bottom of the second thanks to a Yordys Valdes two-bagger to left field and an RBI single from Angel Martinez that brought home Valdes to give the Hillcats a 3-0 lead.
• Josh Wolf had his best start on the mound with the Hillcats, pitching four scoreless innings. The 2nd round pick did not walk a single batter, even escaping two runners on in the top of with nobody out by forcing a double play and retiring Salem’s Alex Erro.
• With Hillcats’ reliever Zach Hart (1-1) taking over on the mound the Red Sox tallied on back-to-back doubles smashed in the top of the sixth by Stephen Scott and Joe Davis cutting the Hillcats lead to just two.
• Lynchburg responded immediately in the bottom of the sixth when Cody Farhat singled to right field, moving along on an Alexfri Planez single. Both raced home when Yordys Valdes crushed a triple off the wall to put the Hillcats up 5-1.
• Hart pitched four innings in relief for the Hillcats, his second longest outing with Lynchburg this year. The two hits and score in the 6th were the only allowed by the Franklin Pierce product, who fanned eight batters, the most of any Hillcats bullpen arm this year.
• Jerson Ramirez closed the game out with a three up, three down top of the ninth inning for the Hillcats to close out a 5-1 victory for Lynchburg and cut Salem’s series lead to 3-2.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Hillcat’s infielder Yordys Valdes continued his five game hitting streak with a two knock performance Saturday against the Red Sox.
• The Hillcats created some separation in the Northern Division standings with the win and are now a game and half ahead of Salem for second place.

WHO'S NEXT

The Hillcats host Salem in game five on Saturday at Bank of the James Stadium. First pitch is 6:30pm with Fireworks scheduled after the game.

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