Lynchburg 9, Winston-Salem 6
W: Aaron Civale (8-2)
L: Drew Hasler (2-1)
S: None
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 13, 2017) – Despite home runs from Jameson Fisher and Brady Conlan, Winston-Salem was unable to outslug the Lynchburg Hillcats, falling 9-6 in Sunday’s series finale at BB&T Ballpark.
Fisher socked a solo shot in the second, his fifth homer at the High-A level, to extend his hitting streak to six games. The Zachary, La., native has gone 7-for-21 (.333) with six RBIs and three runs in that stretch. Fisher would add his second RBI of the contest in the fourth on a groundout.
Conlan led off the seventh with a solo blast of his own, clocking his fifth homer of the year 386 feet into the second row of the Foothills Brew Pen.
Trailing 9-4 in the ninth, the first four men to bat in the inning reached base for the Dash (24-25, 48-71), notching two runs in the process. Conlan started the rally with a walk before Yeyson Yrizarri singled to right for his third hit of the afternoon to put runners at first and second. After the runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, Luis Basabe roped a two-run single into the right field corner to pull Winston-Salem within three at 9-6. Louis Silverio kept the comeback alive with a pinch-hit single to right, but Sam Dexter grounded into a 1-6-3 double play, and Eloy Jimenez grounded out to end the threat and the game.
For the third straight game, the Hillcats (31-19, 71-48) managed to score in the opening frame, plating three against Dash starter Jimmy Lambert on a pair of run-scoring singles by Andrew Calica and Connor Marabell.
Winston-Salem would fight back to knot the contest at three in the fifth, netting the game-tying run on a throwing error from Lynchburg first baseman Jose Medina that allowed Yrizarri to cross the plate, who had singled to begin the frame.
The Hillcats then scored four unanswered runs through the sixth and seventh innings prior to Conlan’s long ball, with all of them coming against Dash reliever Drew Hasler (2-1). Hasler surrendered six runs (four earned) on eight hits in his two innings of work. Before Sunday’s outing, the Valparaiso product had ceded just one earned run in 42.2 career innings at BB&T Ballpark (0.21 ERA in 19 appearances).
In the loss, Matt Foster spun two perfect innings of relief for Winston-Salem. Foster has not given up an earned run in six of his seven appearances at the High-A level this season.
Also in the defeat, Jimenez saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end after an 0-for-5 showing. The Dominican Republic native’s streak was tied with infielder Ronald Bueno for the longest hit streak by a Dash player this season.
Winston-Salem continues its homestand with a five-game, four-day series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans beginning on Monday at 7 p.m. from BB&T Ballpark. The Dash will send right-hander A.J. Puckett (9-7, 4.01 ERA) to the rubber against Pelicans righty Thomas Hatch (4-10, 4.20 ERA). Pregame coverage for Monday’s tilt begins at 6:45 p.m. and will be available online at wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and via the TuneIn Radio App.
Monday is also the last All-You-Can-Eat for Free Night of the season at BB&T Ballpark. For as low as $8, fans can enjoy all the hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers they can handle through the seventh inning for free. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.
