Eigsti celebrates birthday by slamming Hillcats

Wilmington catcher Ryan Eigsti celebrated his 24th birthday in grand fashion Monday in the Blue Rocks’ 7-3 victory over the Hillcats at City Stadium.

Eigsti took a 3-2 pitch from Lynchburg starter Bryan Morris over the left field fence for a grand slam that put Wilmington up 6-0 over the Hillcats going into the bottom of the fourth inning.

Morris, who was looking to pick up his third victory in as many starts, was roughed up by the Blue Rocks (74-51).

He surrendered six runs, all earned, on seven hits and four walks in five innings of work as he fell to 4-7 on the season.

The fourth got off to an ugly start for Morris as he walked the first two batters. After he got Jamar Walton to ground out to first base, Morris walked Chase Fontaine to load the bases for Eigsti.

“You can’t walk guys,” Hillcats manager P.J. Forbes said. “We’ve preached that all year. You’re just creating problems for yourself.”

In his previous two starts (on Aug. 12 vs. Kinston and at Salem on Aug. 19), Morris went 2-0 while working a combined 12 2/3 innings and allowing just two runs.

“Obviously for Bryan (not walking batters) is an important thing,” Forbes said. “He’s been making strides with his command within the strike zone and been making guys put the ball in play, but he took a step back tonight.”

The Hillcats (69-57) finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Matt Hague down the left field line that cut the Blue Rocks’ lead to 6-1.

Lynchburg scored again in the fifth when Eric Fryer led off with a double and eventually scored on Josh Harrison’s groundout, making the score 6-2.

But that was all Lynchburg’s offense could muster off of Blue Rocks’ starting pitcher Eduardo Paulino.

Paulino worked seven innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits and no walks to pick up his sixth consecutive victory and improve to 9-6 overall.

In three previous starts against the Hillcats, Paulino was 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA.

“We had some chances,” Forbes said. “We let him off the hook.

“You have to give (Paulino) some credit, but we didn’t have the quality at-bats that you need to have in those situations.”

Lynchburg out-hit Wilmington 11 to 9, but the Hillcats left eight men on base and were just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Monday’s game was the first of a three-game series that could be a possible playoff preview.

“We just want to play some good baseball and build some momentum in this home stand,” Forbes said.