Wood Ducks Drop Close Call with the Hillcats

KINSTON, NC -Luis La O had two of the entire game's eight hits, but the Hillcats (40-21, 80-50) squeaked past the Wood Ducks (30-31, 54-76) in a 3-2 final on Friday night. Both teams could only manage four hits as the pitching staffs combined for 24 strikeouts in the series-opener.

Lynchburg starter Triston McKenzie fanned 11 Woodies while only allowing one hit as the winning pitcher. Emerson Martinez went toe-to-toe with the Indians prospect, as both pitchers began the game nine up and nine down.
After the Hillcats plated two in the fourth on two hits, Matt Lipka drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning. He stole his team-leading 19th base before tagging from second to third on a Yanio Perez fly out. On the next pitch, La O singled up the middle to get the Wood Ducks on the board.
An unearned run was plated in the sixth off reliever Cole Wiper in his second appearance with the Wood Ducks. He struck out two over his two innings of work.
With the Woodies trailing 3-1 in the seventh, La O started the rally with a single through the right side. Next, Carlos Garay was hit by a pitch and Preston Scott drew a walk to load the bases. After a strikeout, Evan Van Hoosier hit a slow roller up the third base line that stayed fair and allowed La O to score from third on the infield single.
It would be all the Woodies would get, as in the final two innings they went down scoreless.
Out of the bullpen after Wiper, Jose Valdespina and Scott Williams worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings. For Williams, he extends his scoreless innings streak to 23 and two-thirds straight innings.
Out in Winston-Salem, the Dash defeated the Buies Creek Astros 5-2 which keeps the second-half deficit at 4.5 games with nine games to play.
Game two of the series with the Hillcats comes on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Lefty Brett Martin (2-8, 5.10) will face right-hander Brock Hartson (6-4, 3.06) for the final Pepsi Saturday of the season. You can listen to every pitch of the 2017 season live on Sports/Talk 960 The Bull or streamed on the TuneIn Radio app