The Woodpeckers held the Hillcats to just three hits but a two-run bomb in the top of the third provided enough separation for Lynchburg to get their first win over Fayetteville this year.
The Woodpeckers held the Hillcats to just three hits but a two-run bomb in the top of the third provided enough separation for Lynchburg to get their first win over Fayetteville this year.
Neither team could get any offense going until Nolan Jones earned his sixth RBI with a sacrifice fly that scored Luke Wakamatsu in the top the third. Jones himself came home after Oscar Gonzalez went yard for a two-run shot that made it 3-0 Hillcats. Gonzalez earned a pair of RBIs making it 22 total on the season, while also blasting the first bomb Woodpeckers starter Shawn Dubin (1-1) has surrendered this year.
Hillcats' starter Justin Garza (2-3) pitched a perfect first three innings, until finally allowing a baserunner when Bryan De La Cruz started the bottom of the fourth inning with a leadoff single. Colton Shaver's flyout to shallow center field dropped to score De La Cruz and get the first tally of the game for Fayetteville. The lone run cut the Lynchburg lead to two after four frames. That would be the last score to come through for either team as the rest of the game turned into a pitching duel.
Woodpeckers righty Yohan Ramirez entered the game with two outs in the top of the fifth to relieve Dubin. The Fayetteville hurler struck out the next four batters he faced and finished his appearance with eight total strikeouts, the most for a reliever at Segra Stadium. Ramirez pitched 4 and 1/3 scoreless frames and only allowed one hit when Wilbis Santiago smacked a triple with one out in the top of the seventh.
Justin Garza snags the win for the visiting Hillcats after pitching six innings of one run ball. The Lynchburg starter sent six Woodpeckers down on strikes and walked just one batter on the night. The Hillcats sent out three consecutive southpaws to follow Garza, in Anderson Polanco, Yapson Gomez, and Anthony Gose who all pitched one scoreless inning a piece. Gose is credited with his first save this season in Lynchburg's 3-1 victory.
Jacob Meyers was the only Woodpecker with a multi-hit showing, knocking two base hits on the night in the lowest offensive output for the Woodpeckers at Segra Stadium this season. The Hillcats victory evens the four game series at one and also moves both teams to 14-12 on the year. Game three is set for 7:00pm Wednesday with Enoli Paredes on the mound for Fayetteville.
