Rocks Fall in Extra Innings

Lynchburg, VA- Steven Kwan's 10th-inning single delivered the Wilmington Blue Rocks a 4-3 loss to the Lynchburg Hillcats on Thursday at Calvin Falwell Field. The setback extended Wilmington's losing streak to three games, which is its longest since dropping six straight from April 20-24.

Both teams started the 10^th inning with a runner in scoring position per Minor League Baseball rules. Only Lynchburg could capitalize. Hillcats reliever Riley Echols recorded three straight outs to strand the man in scoring position. Meanwhile, Wilmington's Josh Dye yielded a decisive two-bagger to Kwan on the second pitch of the 10^th inning.
The game was a pitchers' duel early, with neither team managing a run over the first five frames.
Sebastian Rivero finally ended the goose-egg fest with his RBI-single in the sixth. Lynchburg responded in the very next frame. Oscar Gonzalez scored the tying-run thanks to a wild pitch from Blue Crew starter Jackson Kowar .
Both starting pitchers worked well enough to earn win despite taking no-decisions. Kowar allowed just one run on three hits while fanning six over seven frames. Justin Garza also turned in a quality start. The right-hander scattered eight hits and three walks, but yielded only one run in six innings pitched. 
From there each team took a turn on the proverbial seesaw.
Wilmington went ahead in the top of the eight when Dennicher Carrasco  scored on a passed ball from catcher Gavin Collins. Gonzlez tied the game in the bottom half of the frame when his infield-single plated Jodd Carter.
The Rocks regained the advantage in the top of the ninth. Blake Perkins  worked a one-out walk and came home two batters later on Brewer Hicklen's double to dead-center.
Dye came on to try and nail down the save, but Lynchburg got to the right-hander while down to its final out. Collins singled and Connor Smith worked a walk, which set the stage for Jose Vicente's game-tying single.
Wilmington continues its first-half closing road trip to Lynchburg. First pitch on Friday is slated for 6:30 p.m. and fans can catch all the action with the Voice of the Blue Rocks, Cory Nidoh, on 89.7 WGLS-FM.
PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
Entering Thursday Wilmington had excelled in close contests this season. The Blue Crew lead the Carolina League with 30 games decided by a single score in 2019 and have played 43 affairs with a margin of victory of two-or-less. Wilmington is an impressive 33-10 in those close calls including 24-6 in one-run decisions. The Rocks are also 24-1 when holding an advantage through seven innings and 27-0 when leading after eight.
Four has been the magic number for the Wilmington offense in 2019. When the Rocks score four times in a game they are 26-2 on the year. Conversely, when Wilmington manages just three scores or fewer in an affair the team is only 15-21.
Not only did Wilmington lose consecutive games for the first time in a month on Wednesday, but the Blue Crew extended its losing streak to three with the series-opener in Lynchburg. That's their longest skid since late-April. Wilmington also lost its first series in 10 tries last time out against the Hillcats. Oddly Wednesday marked only the second rubber match of the season for Wilmington and the Rocks fell to 0-2 in such contests.