LYNCHBURG, Va. (April 8, 2016) – In another back-and-forth affair in Lynchburg, the Hillcats edged the Dash 5-4 to even this season-opening series on Friday night at Calvin Falwell Field.
The Hillcats (1-1) snagged the lead for good with three runs in the sixth inning to make it 5-3. Anthony Santander’s leadoff home run, his second long ball in as many games, knotted the game for a third time. The next three Hillcats reached, including an RBI double from Mike Papi. Two batters later, Claudio Batista chased Papi home with a sacrifice fly to center.
Winston-Salem (1-1) had an excellent opportunity to draw even in the eighth. Marcus Davis, who went 2-for-5 in his Dash debut, led off with a single, and Michael Danner followed with a walk. Chris O’Dowd singled to load the bases before a four-pitch walk to Toby Thomas pulled the Dash within a single tally.
However, Batista made the lead-saving play that proved to be the difference in the game. The third baseman speared a sharply-struck ground ball off the bat of Cleuluis Rondon with a dive to his left and gunned down Danner at the plate. Southpaw Anderson Polanco (1-0) proceeded to escape the inning with the 5-4 lead intact.
Other than the rough start to the eighth inning, Polanco was outstanding for a Hillcats staff that used eight pitchers on Thursday night. The Dominican Republic native tossed four and a third innings and only gave up two runners outside the eighth frame.
For a second consecutive night, the Dash struck with the game’s first run when Danner singled home Nick Basto in the second. Lynchburg responded in the fourth with a Sicnarf Loopstok RBI single and a Batista run-scoring double.
Those were the only blemishes for Matt Cooper, who made his first professional start in his 60th outing. Cooper worked through five innings and struck out seven. He left as the potential winning pitcher because the Dash plated two in the fifth. Basto, who is now 5-for-11 to begin the season, leveled an RBI double to right-center to deadlock the game and scored on a Davis single. However, Kelvis Valerio (0-1) gave up the three runs in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
This four-game series rolls along Saturday at 6:30 p.m. from Virginia. Right-hander Thad Lowry, the 21st-best prospect in the White Sox system per MLB Pipeline, will make his High-A debut against Lynchburg lefty Luis Lugo. Pregame coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast.
The Dash return to the Triad this Thursday for a week-long homestand that kicks off the seventh season at BB&T Ballpark. Tickets for the exciting homestand, which features a Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday on April 14 and a Fireworks Friday on April 15, are available by calling (336) 714-2287 or visiting wsdash.com.
