Velazquez Delivers Hillcats Fourth Win of Series

The Lynchburg Hillcats came from behind to knock off the Salem Red Sox in extra innings by a score of 7-6 in ten innings.

Ralphy Velazquez picked up three hits, including the walk-off winner, en-route to the Hillcats victory. Velazquez picked up two doubles and scored the tying run in the eighth inning which helped send the game to extra innings.

Salem exploded in the second inning as Stanley Tucker doubled home two runs to take the early 2-0 lead. Nazzan Zanetello would follow suit with a double of his own to pick up a run. Nelly Taylor would piece together the third straight double and extend the lead up to four.

In the bottom of the third inning, Lexer Saduy would deliver his second home run of the series to get Lynchburg on the board. Later in the inning, Jaison Chourio would score Velazquez with an RBI single to left field.

The Hillcats would tie things up in the fourth as Luis Durango would drive home Christian Knapczyk with an RBI triple, his first of the season. Juan Benjamin would plate him with his fifth double of the year to tie the game.

In the top of the seventh inning, Salem would scratch across a run after Freili Encarnacion would double to retake the lead. In the bottom of the eighth, Knapczyk would bounce one off the mound that found center field, scoring Velazquez to tie things up.

As the game went to extras, Salem would score one and load up the bases and plate one before an out had been recorded. With no one out, the Red Sox would run themselves into two outs at home, giving the Hillcats a chance in the bottom of the frame.

With Saduy starting at second, Esteban Gonzalez would move him over to third with a base hit. Velazquez would step in and rope the first pitch down the right field line deep into the corner tying the game. Gonzalez would turn on the jets and score underneath the tag all the way from first to win the game.

Lynchburg now improves to 9-2 against the Red Sox this season. They will conclude their series with them on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Bank of the James Stadium.