Sox Rocked 7-3 by Hillcats Wednesday

SALEM, VA (Wednesday, June 28, 2017) - The Salem Red Sox couldn't keep pace with their local rivals Wednesday night, falling 7-3 to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Haley Toyota Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
The Sox (4-3, 44-32) were forced to rely heavily on their bullpen, as their starter was knocked out after just 2.1 innings of action. Lynchburg (6-1, 46-30) extended their dominance in the Northern Division with the win, and positioned themselves for a series victory if they earn a win Thursday. Jordan Betts saw his team-record streak of consecutive contests with a homer come to an end at four games, as he went 1-3 with a single and a walk.

Lynchburg opened the scoring in the top of the first against Salem starter Dedgar Jimenez (L, 8-3). Sam Haggerty drew a leadoff walk, and advanced to second on a one-out single by Martin Cervenka. Connor Marabell bounced into a 3-6 fielder's choice, retiring Cervenka at second and putting runners at the corners with two outs. Willi Castro then plated both runners with a double, putting Lynchburg ahead 2-0.
The Sox evened things up in the bottom of the first against Lynchburg starting pitcher Aaron Civale (W, 4-1). Tate Matheny led off with a single, and pilfered second base. Bryan Hudson hit a sinking liner into left that evaded left fielder Ka'ai Tom and rolled to the wall; Matheny scored, and Hudson made it to third on a triple. A groundout by Austin Rei scored Hudson and tied the game at 2-2.
The Hillcats broke the game open in the top of the third. Tom doubled to lead off the frame, and after a strikeout by Cervenka, Marabell singled to bring Tom in. Castro then smacked an RBI triple, and Jodd Carter followed that with an RBI double, scoring Castro and chasing Jimenez from the game with Lynchburg leading 5-2. Reliever Jordan Weems struck out the next two batters to end the inning without any further damage.
The teams traded runs in the fifth inning; Castro belted a solo homer, but Rei was able to single home Nick Lovullo in the bottom of the frame to get the score to 6-3 in favor of Lynchburg. The Hillcats scratched the run back in the top of the seventh against new reliever Gerson Bautista, who walked Marabell to start the inning before whiffing Castro and Carter. However, Ivan Castillo beat out an infield single, and Anthony Miller sliced a single up the middle to score Marabell. Bautista plunked Daniel Salters to load the bases, but struck out Claudio Bautista to head to the stretch with Lynchburg leading 7-3. Salem got runners on first and second with one away in the ninth, but couldn't plate anyone, taking the loss.
Jimenez was rocked for five runs on seven hits and a walk in 2.1 innings, recording four strikeouts. Weems gave up one run on three hits and a walk in 3.2 innings, fanning a career-best five batters. Bautista surrendered a run on four hits and a walk in two innings and struck out four. Stephen Nogosek worked around a leadoff double in his lone scoreless inning of action, fanning one.
The Sox will aim for a series split Thursday night in Lynchburg, with a matchup of All-Stars on the mound. Southpaw Matthew Kent makes the start for Salem against Lynchburg righty Triston McKenzie. First pitch from Calvin Falwell Field is at 6:30 p.m., and Ben Gellman has the call on the Red Sox Radio Network starting at 6:15 p.m.